biography – Page 73 – Texas History Notebook

Doris Miller (1919-1943)

(Doris Miller poster in the World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana)

Doris “Dorie” Miller was a true Texas hero. He was classified as a Navy Messman on December 7, 1941, serving on the USS West Virginia, a battleship. At the time, Messman was one of the few positions open to African American sailors. Miller was solidly built, carrying over 200 lb. on his 6’3” frame. He’d taken up boxing and was heavyweight champion of the West Virginia out of a crew of about 2,000. The West Virginia was on station in in Hawaii at Pearl Harbor. That morning, he woke at 0600, as was his custom. He served breakfast mess and was still below deck collecting soiled laundry when the first torpedo hit the West Virginia just before 0800. He heard and felt the explosion and immediately went to his battle station, an anti-aircraft gun near the heart of the ship.

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Charles Wiley Stanley, the Crime Doctor

Charles Stanley, not to be confused with the minister from Atlanta, lived in Abilene, Kansas and was in the entertainment business all his life. The opportunity presented itself for him to first rent and then purchase the so-called “Death Car” of Bonnie and Clyde.

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Ben Milam

Benjamin Rush Milam was born in Frankfort, Kentucky in 1788 to Moses and Elizabeth Boyd Milam. He was named for Dr. Benjamin Rush, who had served soldiers including Moses Milam in the American Revolution at Valley Forge. Ben enlisted in the Kentucky Militia as a private and eventually rose to the rank of Lieutenant during the War of 1812. He remained in the army until his enlistment was concluded in 1815.

James Hazard Perry, critic of Sam Houston

James H. Perry was a long time detractor of Sam Houston. Perry (unrelated to the Naval officer, Oliver Hazard Perry, as far as we can tell) was born in June of 1811 in New York. He had wanted to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point but his appointment was not immediately secured. In the meantime, he studied law, began practicing as an attorney and also married. He was finally admitted to West Point in 1833 but resigned during his third year there and relocated to Texas.

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Sam Bass

Sam Bass was born July 21, 1851 in Lawrence County, Indiana and died on his 27th birthday, July 21, 1878 in Round Rock, Texas He had lived a life that had made him famous to the point that he had become a folk hero to some. Sam had been orphaned at the age of 13 after which he began to live with an uncle who was stern and strict with him. As soon as he could, young Bass left his uncle and relocated to Rosedale, Mississippi where he worked for about a year in a saw mill. In the summer of 1870, he set out for Texas, traveling with a family named Mayes who were returning to their home in Denton County, Texas. He had heard about Texas and the cowboy life and wanted to try it.