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Personal info

Full name
MILLER, Warren Robert
Date of birth
2 March 1920
Age
25
Place of birth
Crawfordville, Taliaferro County, Georgia
Hometown
Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

Military service

Service number
T-121366
Rank
Flight Officer
Function
Pilot
Unit
85th Squadron,
437th Troop Carrier Group
Awards
Bronze Star,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
24 March 1945
Place of death
Northeast of Wesel, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
G 21 25

Immediate family

Members
Warren J. Miller (father)
Mabel B. Miller (mother)
Kenneth L. Miller (brother)
Nell (Turner) Miller (wife)
Warren R. Miller Jr. (son)
Warren R. Miller III (grandson)

Plane data

Serial number
45-6097
Data
Type: CG-4A
Destination: Northeast of Wesel, Germany
Mission: Landing personnel
MACR: 13357

More information

F/O Warren R. Miller made a routine flight until he reached the designated drop zone. His glider was cut loose from the tow plane and crashed into the side of the house. Then he took cover under a hedgerow and unloaded the glider the next day with the help of some paratroopers. From then, he got two mines and blasted a concrete wall eight feet high to get a mobile gun on the road. He was able to get a jeep from a glider that had landed nearby and took equipment through the breach and made a road block. This helped him and other paratroopers retake the nearby town. He left the battle and spent several days in other paratrooper patrols. The next day he went to the coast and returned on a boat to England with many German prisoners. He was reported missing in action over Germany on 3/24/1945.

Statement (1) From James W. Bartelgen, F/O, Air Corps:
" On March 1945, F/O Warren R Miller was flying Glider No. 45-6097 (position 99) and I, James W. Bartelsen, was flying Glider No. 43-43004 (position 100). The mission was a double tow putting Warren R. Miller and myself on the same tow. Because of smoke over the LZ, we overshot our cut off point. When Glider No. 45-6097 finally out off I followed him in on what seemed to be a 180 degrees approach. When I last looked ahead I saw flak hit his right elevator. Just after I last saw him I pulled my tail chute and we dropped below him. I asumed he kept the same heading and landed farther down. The last time I saw him he was 100ft. in the air and slightly ahead of me. I didn't see him land and can't say he crashed. "

Statement (2) from Robert G. Miller 2nd Lt., Air Corps:
" On 24 March 1945 I was in Glider No. 43-43004 (Position 100) on long tow behind the same tow ship as Glider No. 45-6097 (position 99) flown by F/O Warren R. Miller, who was on short tpw. Due to ground haze and the smoke screen, both Gliders overshot the LZ. During the tow nothing unusual was observed concerning Glider No. 45-6097. As soon as he out we cut and followed his in on a 180 degrees approach. The last time I saw the Glider it seemed to be under good control. I began knocking out our side windows and never observed Glider No. 45-6097 again. There was a good deal of enemy opposition after we got on the ground and since we were some distance from our LZ, it is possible that Glider No. 45-6097 also met enemy opposition and was captured."
Note: Pilot F/O Warren R. Miller, Co pilot Lt Paul J. Francis and 15 members from the 17 Airborne Division were killed by German machinegun fire after there were landing.

Source of information: Linda Kempener, Warren R. Miller Jr., Terry Hirsch, N.A.R.A., www.wwiimemorial.com, http://www.cmstory.org/content/miller-warren-robert-flight-officer - Charlotte Mecklenburg Library / The Charlotte Observer, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1940 Census / WWII Draft Card Young Men

Photo source: FOHF, Warren R. Miller Jr.