Thomas H. Miller
| Thomas H. Miller | |
|---|---|
| Born |
June 3, 1923 San Antonio, Texas |
| Died |
November 27, 2007 Arlington, Virginia |
| Buried | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1942-1979 |
| Rank |
 Lieutenant General
|
| Commands held |
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Deputy Chief of Staff for Aviation, Headquarters Marine Corps |
| Battles/wars |
World War II Korean War Vietnam War |
| Awards |
Navy Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal Silver Eagle Award |
Lieutenant General Thomas H. Miller, was a United States Marine Corps Naval Aviator and test pilot. Miller saw active combat in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. As a test pilot, he set a World Speed Record in an F4H-1 (F4B) Phantom. He was the first American to fly the Marine Corps' new AV-8A Harrier jet, capable of vertical takeoff and landing, orchestrating its procurement for the Marine Corps and oversee development of the concept during his career. For this effort, Miller was known as "the father of STOVL (short take-off and vertical landing) aviation in the USMC."
Lieutenant General Miller was born June 3, 1923, in San Antonio, Texas. He attended Schreiner Institute, Kerrville, Texas, and played college football at the University of Texas. General Miller attended the Naval War College, Newport, RI, and studied at the University of Maryland. He was also a graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School, Senior Course, Quantico, Virginia.
Miller enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve in June 1942 shortly after the outbreak of World War II, was designated as an Aviation Cadet and underwent flight training at the Naval Air Station Dallas and NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. When Student Naval Aviators earned their wings they also received a commission in the U.S. Navy, or the Marine Corps, if they so chose. When Miller was nearing completion of flight school, he heard a talk from several WWII Marine combat aviators. He was impressed enough by these men and their accounts of combat that he, along with classmate John Glenn opted for the Marine Corps, reasoning that the Marine Corps offered a better chance to fly fighters than did the Navy. Miller was commissioned a Marine Second Lieutenant and designated a Naval Aviator on March 1, 1943.
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