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2nd Lt. Ewing Miller at time of service [n.d.]

Veterans History Project Service Summary:

  • War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
  • Branch of Service: Army Air Forces/Corps
  • Unit of Service: 715th Bomb Squadron, 449th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force
  • Location of Service: Miami, Florida; Randolph Air Force Base, Texas; Lubbock, Texas; Ellington Field, Texas; North Africa; Sicily, Italy; European Theater
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/102421

View full service history

"News of the day--I soloed yesterday--biggest thrill of my life." (Letter to mother, November 20, 1943)

Much like his father--a World War I veteran who passed away a few months before his son was born--Ewing H. Miller II's pursuit of a career in architecture was cut short by a world war. After entering the University of Pennsylvania in 1941, Miller joined the Army Air Corps in 1942. Assigned to the 715th Bomb Squadron, 449th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force, he served as the copilot on a B-24 bomber in the European Theater-an apropos job for someone who signed his letters with the nickname "Wing." When his plane was shot down on his 21st mission in mid-February, 1945, he was the sole survivor of his crew, and he spent the next few months as a prisoner of war before his liberation in May 1945. Following his discharge, he went on to a distinguished career in architecture. The 56 letters in his collection, written mostly to his mother, describe his stateside training, transfer overseas, and interactions with civilians while stationed in Italy.

Interview / Recording

More Resources

Interview / Recording

Ewing H. Miller, II Collection
Interview / Recording

Ewing H. Miller, II Collection
Second part of interview with Ewing Miller II [4/13/1981]

[ Weather map symbol chart ]
[ Statement of report of interview of recovered personnel ]

Show more resources (93)

[ Chart: United States and British aircraft specifications ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [10/16/1942] ]
[ Letter of recommendation for Miller [10/19/1942] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [10/31/1942] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [2/26/1943] ]
[ Postcard to his mother, depicting the First Baptist Church of Columbia, SC [2/26/1943] ]
[ Postcard to his mother [2/26/1943] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [2/28/1943] ]
[ Oversize postcard with comic illustration of Army life [3/30/1943] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [4/3/1943] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [7/20/1943] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [11/3/1943] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [11/5/1943] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [9/28/1943] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [11/17/1944] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [11/20/1943] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [12/1/1944] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [12/10/1944] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [12/25/1944] ]
[ V-Mail from Charles Woodward to Mrs. Miller [12/30/1944] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [1/1944] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [10/5/1944] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [10/19/1944] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [10/25/1944] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [11/4/1944] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [11/9/1944] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [11/13/1944] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [1/5/1945] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [1/9/1945] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [2/1/1945] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [2/5/1945] ]
[ Telegram reporting Ewing Miller MIA [2/24/1945] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [5/1/1945] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [5/13/1945] ]
[ Telegram reporting Ewing Miller MIA [5/16/1945] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [5/29/1945] ]
[ V-Mail from Miller to his mother [5/31/1945] ]
[ Telegram informing Mrs. Esther Miller that her son had returned to military control [6/7/1945] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [9/25/1945] ]
[ Postcard from Miller to his mother [10/15/1942] ]
[ Postcard from Miller to his mother [8/20/194-] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [11/4/194-] ]
[ V-Mail informing Mrs. Miller of her son's change of address [n.d.] ]
[ Undated letter to Warren from Ewing Miller ]
[ Letter advertising photographs of German P.O.W. camps for sale [n.d.] ]
[ Letter from Charles Hopp to Ewing Miller [12/14/1946] ]
[ Letter from Miller to his mother [12/9/1948] ]
[ Letter from Leonard E. Rose to American Ex-Prisoners of War ]
[ Letter to Miller from Dick Downey [11/26/1985] ]
[ Letter to Miller from Richard Greco [?] [11/26/1985] ]
[ Greeting card to Ewing Miller [1985] ]
[ Letter to Ewing Miller from "Tony" [8/25/1999] ]
[ Letter to Ewing Miller from Tony Oliveri [9/4/1999] ]
[ Letter to Ewing Miller from Sen. James E. Risch of Idaho [5/6/2015] ]
[ Letter to Mrs. Miller from Collman Ketring [?] [3/26/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mrs. Miller from Lt. Frank K. Mayers [3/15/1945] ]
[ Letter to Mrs. Miller from Lt. Frank K. Mayers [6/25/1945] ]
[ Pencil sketch depicting a composite scene of an aviator in flight gear, a parachute, a bomber dropping its payload, a pair of dice, and other objects, by Ewing Miller ]
[ Untitled pencil sketch by Ewing Miller ]
[ Art work by "Quinn", an 11 year old [5/6/2015] ]
[ Art work by Rowan W., age 11 [n.d.] ]
[ Art work by Kendall, age 9 [n.d.] ]
[ Art Work by Darby Harris, age 13 [n.d.] ]
[ Biographical information ]
[ Humorous piece, "Fighter Sweep," that was read at Ewing's graduation from training ]
[ Untitled, humorous poem that was read at Ewing's graduation from training ]
[ Poem by unknown author, "Cui Bono?" ]
[ Multiple drafts of an article on Miller by Michael A. Oliveri [1999] ]
[ 8 cent Air Mail stamp ]
[ 10 Franc note ]
[ A United States two dollar bill with writing on it indicating it belongs to Ewing H. Miller ]
[ 5 Franc note with hadnwriting on the reverse ]
[ Yugoslavian 100 kuna note ]
[ A German 50 Reichsmark note with handwriting on it ]
[ A Greek 10 drachmae note with handwriting on it ]
[ A German 20 Reichsmark note ]
[ Pre-WWII German currency, a two Rentenmark note ]
[ A Belgian 10 Franc note ]
[ United States military payment certificate worth fifty cents ]
[ United States military payment certificate worth fifty cents ]
[ French 10 Franc note ]
[ French two Franc note ]
[ French 5 Franc note ]
[ French two Franc note ]
[ United States military payment certificate worth ten cents ]
[ United States military payment certificate worth ten cents ]
[ United States military payment certificate worth ten cents ]
[ United States military payment certificate worth twenty-five cents ]
[ French 10 Franc note ]
[ United States military payment certificate worth one dollar ]
[ United States military payment certificate worth fifty cents ]
[ United States military payment certificate worth one dollar ]
[ A faded rose and an envelope marked "Toledo, Ohio." ]

About this Item

Title

  • Ewing H. Miller, II Collection

Names

  • Sommer, Barbara W.
  • Miller II, Ewing H.

Home State

  • Washington (D.C.)

Headings

  • -  Miller II, Ewing H.
  • -  World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
  • -  United States. Army Air Forces/Corps.
  • -  Prisoner of War -- United States

Repository

  • Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Gender

  • Male

Status

  • veteran

Service History

  • World War, 1939-1945

    • Branch of Service: Army Air Forces/Corps
    • Unit of Service: 715th Bomb Squadron, 449th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force
    • Location of Service: Miami, Florida; Randolph Air Force Base, Texas; Lubbock, Texas; Ellington Field, Texas; North Africa; Sicily, Italy; European Theater
    • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
    • Dates of Service: 1942-1945
    • Prisoner of War: Yes
    • Entrance into Service: Commissioned
    • Military Status: veteran

Materials

  • Audio: Audio Cassette [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 1981-04-13)
  • Audio: Audio Cassette [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 1981-04-13)
  • Photograph: Original photographic print [86 items] -- Photograph (collected 1942-2010)
  • Photograph: Copy photographic print [9 items] -- Photograph (collected 1942-1945)
  • Photograph: Duplicate [4 items] -- Photograph (collected 1942-1945)
  • Manuscript: Clippings [9 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1942-1945)
  • Manuscript: Correspondence [54 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1942-2015)
  • Manuscript: Correspondence [3 items] -- Handwritten document (collected 1942-1945)
  • Manuscript: Creative works [9 items] -- Handwritten document (collected 1942-1945)
  • Manuscript: Memoirs [1 item] -- Handwritten document (collected 1942-1945)
  • Manuscript: Military papers (orders, personnel/201 files, etc) [76 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1942-1945)
  • Manuscript: Periodicals [10 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1942-1945)
  • Manuscript: Printed matter [36 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1942-2015)
  • Manuscript: Unit histories [6 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1942-1945)
  • Artifact: Artifact [25 items] -- (collected 1942-1945)
  • Video: DVD [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2015-12-06; 2015-12-06)
  • Video: DVD [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2015-12-06; 2015-12-06)
  • Manuscript: Biographical information [1 item] -- Handwritten document (collected 2015-12-06)

Collection Number

  • AFC/2001/001/102421

Cite as

  • Ewing H. Miller, II Collection (AFC/2001/001/102421), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Online Format

  • audio
  • image
  • video

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

Using VHP Material in Publication or Exhibition

The Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library of Congress collects, preserves and makes accessible the firsthand recollections of U.S. military veterans who served from World War I through more recent conflicts and peacekeeping missions, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand what they saw, did and felt during their service. The Veterans History Project Collection includes oral histories along with documentary materials such as original letters, diaries, photographs, and memoirs.

Veterans and interviewers contribute these materials to the Library for scholarly and educational purposes, retaining any copyright they may hold. Therefore, permission must be obtained before using the interview or other materials in exhibition or publication. Researchers or others who would like to make further use of these materials should contact the Veterans History Project for assistance.

As a publicly supported institution, the Library generally does not own rights to material in its collections. Therefore, it does not charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot give or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute material in its collections. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item from the Library’s collections and for securing any necessary permissions rests with persons desiring to use the item.

Please contact us with questions.

Obtaining Copies of VHP Materials

In order for VHP materials to be duplicated, we must receive written permission from the interviewee for you to obtain a copy of the recording unless the proposed use is limited to personal use, research, or other uses permissible by copyright law. If the interviewee is deceased, their next-of-kin may grant written permission.

Please contact VHP for assistance if you need to contact a veteran for permission to use their materials in exhibition or publication, or if you have received permission from the veteran and need access to high-resolution copies of VHP collection materials.

Citing VHP Materials

Please use the following formats when citing Veterans History Project materials (substituting the appropriate name and collection ID number).

Materials as a whole:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Manuscript material:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Memoirs (MS02), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Transcript (MS04), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Correspondence (MS01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Recording:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Audio recording (SR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Video recording (MV01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Photograph:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH01), photographer unknown, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH03-PH14), Ralph Williams photographer, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Computer file:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Computer file (CF01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Artifact:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Artifact (AR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Sommer, Barbara W, and Ewing H Miller Ii. Ewing H. Miller, II Collection. 1942. Personal Narrative. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.102421/.

APA citation style:

Sommer, B. W. & Miller Ii, E. H. (1942) Ewing H. Miller, II Collection. [Personal Narrative] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.102421/.

MLA citation style:

Sommer, Barbara W, and Ewing H Miller Ii. Ewing H. Miller, II Collection. 1942. Personal Narrative. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.102421/>.