This Day in History: Robert J. Miller's Medal of Honor

On this day in 2010, a hero receives the Medal of Honor. Robert James Miller is credited with singlehandedly saving 7 members of his team plus 15 Afghan soldiers.

Miller had long wanted to serve in the military, but perhaps that is unsurprising. He was the grandson of two World War II veterans, the son of an Army translator—and he even had ancestors who’d fought in the American Revolution.

He was especially proud of that.

Miller’s heroism came as he served with a Special Forces detachment in Afghanistan on January 25, 2008. They’d been sent to Kunar Province, near the Pakistani border, along with 15 Afghan soldiers. They were to deal with insurgents who had been terrorizing villagers and attacking Afghan forces.

The insurgents were believed to be hiding in a compound in Gowardesh Valley. Miller’s detachment was to confirm, then call in close-air support.

At first, it seemed that they’d succeeded. But as they moved in to confirm the damage to the destroyed compound, all hell broke loose.

Suddenly, Miller’s patrol was under attack: Roughly 150 insurgents were coming at them from elevated positions where they’d been concealed. They had rocket-propelled grenades and were raking the area with automatic weapon fire. One soldier would later describe the amount of fire as “astounding.”

As point man, Miller was out front. He yelled to the others to pull back and find cover. Yet he did the opposite, charging forward to draw all that fire on himself.  He was trying to buy them time.

“While maneuvering to engage the enemy,” his Medal citation describes, “Staff Sergeant Miller was shot in his upper torso. Ignoring the wound, he continued to push the fight, moving to draw fire from over one hundred enemy fighters upon himself.”

It must have been an astonishing scene.

“Rob seemed to disappear into clouds of dust and debris,” the President explained at his Medal ceremony, “but his team could hear him on the radio, still calling out the enemy’s position.  And they could hear his weapon still firing as he provided cover for his men.  And then, over the radio, they heard his voice.  He had been hit.  But still, he kept calling out enemy positions.  Still, he kept firing.  Still, he kept throwing his grenades.  And then they heard it—Rob’s weapon fell silent.”

Two of his fellow soldiers rushed forward, determined to help him if they could, but it was too late.

“He was always quick to volunteer and never thought it should be any other way,” Captain John Bishop, Miller’s former detachment commander said when his body was brought home. “On numerous occasions when the Detachment was faced with a difficult task, Robby would just stand up and say, ‘I got this one, I’ll do it, send me.’”

“Devotion to duty. An abiding sense of honor. A profound love of country,” the President concluded at Miller’s Medal ceremony. “These were the virtues that found their ultimate expression [in] Rob.”

Rest in peace, Sir.

Primary Sources:

• Army Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller: Died January 25, 2008 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom (Associated Press) (reprinted HERE)

• Jesse Lee, Awarding Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller the Medal of Honor (WhiteHouse.gov [archive]; October 6, 2010)

• Katie Lange, Medal of Honor Monday: Army Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller (U.S. Dept of Defense; Feb. 15, 2021)

• Medal of Honor citation (Robert J. Miller; Operation Enduring Freedom)

• Robert J. Miller: 10/14/1983 – 01/25/2008 (Special Forces Foundation)

• Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller: Medal of Honor: Operation Enduring Freedom (U.S. Army website)

• Statement from Governor Pat Quinn on Medal of Honor Recipient Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller (Illinois.gov)