# Understanding the Doris Miller Congressional Gold Medal Act

This bill honors Doris Miller, an African American Navy sailor who showed extraordinary courage during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Miller was serving aboard the USS West Virginia when Japanese forces attacked. Although he was assigned to a non-combat role—like all Black sailors at that time, since the Navy didn't allow African Americans to serve in combat positions—Miller went far beyond his duties. When a torpedo hit his ship, he helped carry wounded sailors to safety, including his ship's captain who had been mortally wounded. He then took control of a .50-caliber antiaircraft gun, something he had never been trained to use, and fired at enemy aircraft until he ran out of ammunition. Miller was later awarded the Navy Cross, one of the Navy's highest honors, for his bravery. He died in combat in 1943 when his ship was torpedoed in the Pacific.

What this bill actually does is authorize Congress to create and present a special gold medal in Miller's name as a formal recognition of his heroism. The Treasury Department will design and strike the medal, and it will eventually be given to the Smithsonian Institution, where it will be displayed and available for research. The bill also allows the Treasury to make bronze copies of the medal available for purchase, with the proceeds covering the costs of production. This is essentially Congress's way of officially honoring Miller's contributions and ensuring his legacy is preserved and remembered by future generations.

Doris Miller Congressional Gold Medal Act

 <p>This bill provides for the award of a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Doris Miller in recognition of his acts of valor while a member of the U.S. Navy during World War II.</p>