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Private James W. Miller was a Private in Company E, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division. He was a "replacement" in Sergeant Denver "Bull" Randlemens unit, he was very good friends with Lester Hashey and Private Antonio Garcia. The night before "Operation Market Garden" took place, he was bullied because he wore the Presidential unit citation ribbon given to the regiment for the battle on June 6th, which he missed, but which the unit allows all members to wear while serving in the unit even if they were not in the battle. Those who were with the unit during the action for which it is awarded are permitted to wear it permanently. Private Cobb says that Miller shouldnā€™t be wearing it since he wasnā€™t in the battle. Miller feels guilty after this and takes the ribbon off. Miller then leaves. Bull points out that Cobb didnā€™t fight in the battle either but still wears the ribbon.

Operation Market Garden

On September 20th, 1944, Easy Company took part in Operation Market Garden. He and his fellow platoon members stuck with their Sergeant, Bull Randlemen during the assault. Randleman was wounded and cut off from the rest of them so Hashey, Garcia and Miller continued to fight as best they could. While hiding behind a bush he witnessed a fellow paratrooper who was good friends with Hoobler and Webster get killed, PFC Robert Van Klinken. After Van Klinkens death, he and the rest of the platoon fell back. While falling back to the lines he hid in a ditch and was  separated from Hashey and Garcia. Towards the end of the battle while everyone was retreating he was hit by a artillery shell in the stomach. Hashey and Garcia returned looking for him, he had been killed instantly.

Effect on Men

His death haunted Hashey well for the remainder of the war up until Hashey was WIA during the Battle of the Bulge.


Trivia[]

  • Of the four replacements, Edward "Babe" Heffron, Lester Hashey and Antonio C. "Tony" Garcia, Miller is the only one to be killed.
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