George Henry Miller was born on November 23, 1907, at Nyack, New York, where he attended grammar school and high school. He received an appointment as cadet to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy at New London, conn., on August 23, 1926, and was graduated and commissioned an Ensign on May 15, 1929.
Subsequently he advanced in rank to Lieutenant (jg), May 15, 1931; Lieutenant, May 15, 1933; Lieut. Commander, January 1, 1942; Commander, September 1, 1943; Captain, December 1950; Rear Admiral, March 1, 1960.
His earlier assignments include duties aboard the Cutter Champlain and the Destroyers Jouett and Wilkes of the old Destroyer force operated by the Coast Guard on the Atlantic seaboard between 1924 and 1934 to suppress smuggling. In March 1934 he became Aide to the Captain-of-the-Port of New York.
From May 1937 to July 1939, RADM Miller served as navigator aboard Cutter Spencer, stationed at Cordova, Alaska. Brief assignments with the Cutter Onondaga at Astoria, Oregon, and at the Maritime Service Training Station, Gallups Island, Boston, preceded his designation as executive officer of the Cutter Cayuga (Boston) in January 1940. A year later he took command of the Cutter Thetis at Key West, Florida, where he served until May 1942 of World War II.
He was then assigned to the newly commissioned Coast Guard-manned troop transport USS Samuel Chase (AP-56), engaged in carrying troops and supplies and acting as convoy guide to Great Britain and to ports in the Mediterranean. In April 1943, he took command of the Cutter Algonquin serving in the areas of Greenland and Newfoundland as a convoy escort, a rescue ship and as an icebreaker. Six months later he went to Florida to take instructions at the Advanced Officer Training School at St. Augustine and at the Subchaser Training Center at Miami, preparatory to his pending assignment as commanding officer of the patrol frigate USS Emporia (P-28) (April 194).
In September 1944, he was transferred to the Manning Section of the Coast Guard Training Station at Alameda, Calif., to duty in connection with the outfitting of the troop transport USS Admiral Eberle (AP-123), and became her executive officer on commissioning. With the Eberle he participated in the reinforcement of Luzon Island in the Philippines. Transferred in January 1946, he became Director of the Coast Guard Auxiliary in the 12th District, San Francisco. After nearly five years there he was given command of the Cutter Taney stationed at Alameda (Agust 1950).
RADM Miller next transferred to Charleston, South Carolina, where he served as Commander of the Coast Guard Group there from December 1951 to November 1954. He was then designated Commanding Officer of the Charleston Base with additional duties of Captain-of-the-Port of South Carolina and Commander, Charleston Group.
In May 1955, he went to Juneau, Alaska, where he served as Chief of Operations for one year then as Chief of Staff of the 17th Coast Guard District. In July 1957, he became Chief, Floating Units Division, Office of Operations at Coast Guard Headquarters.
In June 1959, he became Chief of Staff, Ninth Coast Guard District, with office in Cleveland, O. While stationed here on January 27, 1960, a captain at the time, he was nominated to the rank of permanent Rear Admiral by the President. The appointment was confirmed by the Senate and made effective as of March 1, 1960. In April 1960, Rear Admiral Miller was designated Commander, Ninth Coast Guard District, effective on or about May 1, 1960.
RADM Miller's World War II campaign service medals and ribbons include the following: European-African-Middle Eastern Area; Philippine Liberation; Navy Occupational Service with Asiatic clasp; American Defense with fleet clasp; World War II Victory. He also has the Korean Service Medal and the National Defense Medal.
RADM Miller and his wife Helen are the parents of four children, Pamela H.; Presulla M.; George E.; and Edmund R.
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