Captain James E. Miller (95th Aero Squadron)

Hello everybody,

I’m a french history teacher, so excuse me for my terrible english !
I’m preparing a lecture on “Military burials of WW1 in Laon (Aisne, France)”.
I’ve discovered the following facts :
1) James Ely MILLER, from New York, Captain US Army, 95th Aero Squadron , died on March 9, 1918, was first buried in the german military cimetery in Laon (the town was occupated by Germans until October 23rd ,1918). This cimetery doesn’t exist anymore.
2) Concerning his family I just know that he was married, his father was Mr Charles A. Miller, his mother was still alive on November 1918 and his brother was Charles D. Miller , 1st lieutenant US military infantery. I’ve found a letter from this brother who came in Laon on November 1st , 1918, searching and finding James grave (he gave money for the maintenance of the grave)
3) A few years later (1921, 1922?) James Ely Miller remains were translated in Oise-Aisne American Cemetery located close to Fère-en-Tardenois (Aisne) were I’ve seen his grave.
4) On your so interesting site, I discovered that James MILLER was the 1st casualty of 95th Pursuit Squadron and died in his first mission !
5) Other discovery on the net : James Ely Miller gave his name to an army air field on Staten Island, New York . The site said he was “the Commander of the 95th Squadron and was shot by German figthers on March 10, 1918 (9 in fact) in the Reims sector”.
Can you confirm these informations ??

My other questions :
- is it possible to know the precise conditions of James Miller's death ? (place, circumstances). Reims is almost 50 km far from Laon (in the South-East)...
- was he piloting a Nieuport 28 ? Was this plane more difficult to pilot than the Squad XIII used after by his Squadron ?
- is it true 95th Aero Squadron was at this time a pursuit unit with French Army ? (I’ve read French 6th , 8th and 1st Army but I don’t know exactly the situation on March 9th, 1918)
- have you any more informations about James Ely Miller : birth, birthplace (NY ? Was he the first new yorker aviator killed in mission ... is it the reason of “ Miller Field” in Staten Island ??), formation, etc. It would be so great to find a photo of him and perhaps relatives still alive !

Sorry to be so long !!! Thanks a lot for any more information !

Jean-Louis.

[Michael_Dailey]

Welcome to the Aerodrome Baudot, glad to have you here.


Some info on Miller:

Miller had been a staff officer with Pershing before commanding the 95th.
Terry Treadwell in 'Americas First Air War' states Miller flew a SPAD borrowed from the French Air Service and was shot down and killed while attempting to attack a German two seater from behind. According to Treadwell, Miller was too inexperienced to know the German two seaters were armed both in the front and rear.

According to James Sloan 'Wings of Honor', the SPADS were borrowed from Groupe Menard. Miller had been in a prominent Wall Street firm before the US entered the war. 'He was last seen in a series of spins over the woods of Berrieux where he unquestionably crashed.'

Rickenbacker (Driggs?) also gives an account in his book that takes one of Miller's patrol mates to task for his conduct in the affair.


Hope this helps,

MDD

[Amy]

Welcome to the Forum, Jean-Louis!

This is all that I could locate on James E. Miller's death. It's taken from Charles Woolley's book, The Hat in the Ring Gang (2001):

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Red" Miller (not to be confused with James "Jim" Miller) went on to state that "Dusty" Rhodes of the 95th, another POW just released, was bringing back an official document signed by the German pilot who was credited in bringing down Captain James "Jim" Miller, the first CO of the 95th. The following recount comes from Eastman's diary entry of December 19:

The paper is a report on Jim's descent and his dying statement. It is remembered that when we first were organized at Villeneuve, Davenport "Jam" Johnson returned with the story that he and Jim were on a wildcat patrol wherein his (Johnson's) gun jammed causing him to retire -- while Jim Miller was shot down. The paper quotes Jim Miller as saying (and the Hun also) that Johnson alone saw the distant Hun formation and he had immediately left without warning Jim Miller. Jim's last words were "*&@! Johnson -- he's a yellow son of a *$#@*! You can tell him that, and I hope he's stuck up against a wall and shot." We, who know Johnson and his vindictiveness and unscrupulous career, can't help but derive satisfaction in hearing further proof of our convictions.

From all of this one can only assume, "if there's smoke, there's fire". Johnson survived the rumors, court decisions to the contrary, and later became an Air Corps General in WWII.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think this coincides with Michael Dailey's last sentence about one of Miller's patrol mates. From what was written in Woolley's book, it sounds like Miller survived the crash -- at least long enough to curse Johnson.

That's all I could find.

Cheers, Amy

[Cigogne]

Michael Dailey,

Miller was indeed flying a Nieuport 28 fighter. As usual, 'hack' writer Terry Treadwell has his facts messed up. The 95th would not switch over to SPADs until late July 1918. Amy supplied some good information here, that is also confirmed in Charles Woolley's book, "First to the Front" about the 95th Squadron from the diary of Waldo Heinrichs', one of the unit's pilots. It is a great book and also has a good photo of Miller. Heinrichs' seems to have thought a lot of Miller and you can see it in his writings, the sorrow that he had when Miller was lost. You can also read his feelings for Davenport Johnson... no respect. Johnson wasn't an officer who flew a lot or set that type of example, but, he was a West Pointer and that seemed to carry a lot of weight with the higher ups when it came to acquiring a command. Davenport Johnson went from commanding the 95th Aero to the command of the Second Pursuit Group.

The Nieuport 28s were very maneuverable and could give a good account of themselves, but, there was a flaw in the design of the upper wing. The front spar join would stress in a certain point causing the fabric wing covering to tear and strip off of the wing surface. The SPADs were sturdier, and faster, but not as maneuverable. Some pilots did not like the switch to SPADs and Major Geoffrey Bonnell, CO of the 147th Aero Squadron, was dismissed from his command because of the fuss he made over losing their Nieuports. In fact, the Nieuport 28s, when you compare the day to day servicibility records with those of the SPAD XIIIs, were the more reliable aircraft. Alan Toelle gave a presentation on this topic in Dayton.

Mon cher M. Baudot,
I think that my fellow Forumites have really risen to the occassion on this one!
Just to add a point or two of possible interest:

Please realize that the N.28 aeroplanes used by the US Air Service, at that time, were armed with only one .30 caliber machine gun (it was only later, when more guns were available, that these planes mounted two guns).
There was another interesting "problem" regarding the N.28-- it was known to be a particularly LOUD-running aircraft; whether this was characteristic or not of rotary engines in general I leave to other, better informed Forumites to determine...

"Jam" Johnson, while he turned out to be a fairly good squadron commander (this is from Wooley's Echoes of Eagles), later made a complete fool of himself by intializing a courts-martial against his then superior officer (whose name escapes me). The charge? That this officer did "knowingly and willingly" employ a prostitute (GASP!) at a 94th Squadron social function. (Please keep in mind, M. Baudot, that this was in 1919, just before sex was finally imported to the USA from France). The charges were later thrown out...

Miller Field still exists today on Staten Island, one of the "outer boroughs" of Greater New York City, and is part of the Gateway National Recreational Area (ie a national park). There is currently a move to change its name to "World War Veterans Park at Miller Field"...

avec mes sentiments distinguees,
M. Louis

[Cigogne]

The charge was brought against Major John Huffer, former C.O. of the 94th Aero Squadron, later commander of the 93rd Aero. It seems that Huffer reported Johnson for some infraction earlier on and Johnson now, in the immediate post-war, had a chance to settle the score. Huffer's Court Martial charges were dismissed for lack of witnesses, Johnson being the only one.

Dear Michael,

Thanks a lot for you quick answer : thanks to you I have some precious informations,
James E. Miller was staff officer with general Pershing (certainly in 1917 when USA enterd in the War?). You have read he was working in a prominent Wall Street firm before war and it's not really a surprise.I've found on the Net a "James Ely Miller" graduated from Yale's university (1904?), university frequented by many very influent influent and rich families of the East Coast. The "Miller Field" in Staten Island, NY was created on a site given by Vanderbilt family...
- Your informations on the circumstances of his death are really precious for me : now, I have the place (Berrieux is about 20 km far from Laon, in the direction of Reims, immediatly in the East of famous "Chemin des Dames") and the account of his first(?) and last air fight...

Thank you again,
Jean-Louis

[Michael_Dailey]

Hi Cigogne,

Thanks for the information. I have also in the past found suspect passages from Treadwell's book,i.e., Lufbery 'continuing to raise his score' with the 94th up to his death and so on..

I used Treadwell, (perhaps inadvisedly) because his statement about Miller using a SPAD borrowed from the French was also backed up by Sloan in 'Wings of Honor' through a quote by Harold Buckley of the 95th:

'Chafing under the strain of inaction, anxious to get into the fray, he flew over to Coincy, headquarters of a French SPAD outfit where Major Johnson and Major Harmon were temporarily attached and begged a SPAD from the French....'

Sloan goes on to write that the Nieuports were there but that the machineguns had not arrived for them on the date of Millers only combat patrol.


I do realize that the 95th started out as a unit in Nieuports and probably kept them, I don't know, til August if memory serves me right. I get the idea, however, with Miller being the first casualty and all, that this wasn't necessarily an official combat patrol as a squadron, but something Miller did on his initiative, maybe before the Nieuports were combat ready for the 95th.

Is this a possibility? If it is not, I stand corrected.

Regards,

MDD

Dear Amy,

Thank you for your search : my poor english and my poor knowledge of aviation explain those additional questions .
- "Jim" seems to be the nickname of James Ely Miller: correct ?
- I don't understand who exactly write the report that you cite : is it "Dusty" Rhodes or Eastman, the german aviator who shot down Miller ?
In fact, it seems to be Rhodes' presentation of the German report, but we don't have this one (the date of december 19 is strange : Miller was killed on March 9, 1918 or perhaps this is the date when Eastman sign the report ???)
- it seems there was a serious clash in the 95th after Miller's death : Johnson was suspected to be a yellow, abandonning his Commander...
But, the only witness is Eastman , isn't it ?? Rhodes was here too ? Was Eastman so good in english to hear and understand Miller's last words ? (famous last words !)
Other possible explanation : Miller died only in Laon military hospital, and Rhodes was there (I've no trace of that in my archives) or Rhodes has made up these last words ?

But as you say "if there smoke, there's fire (in french : "Il n'y a pas de fumée sans feu" !!!). So I will be cautious in my lecture ...

Best regards,
Jean-Louis.

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Thank you Cigogne for all the precise details you gave concerning the Nieuport 28 and the Spad. So, I can affirm that James E. Miller was piloting a Nieuport 28 when he was shot down.
You have found a photo of Miller in one of the book that you cite. Do you know (and the question is for you all) if it's possible to find this photo (or an other photo of Miller) on Internet. I've spent many hours searching informations about him, I've seen his grave, but I don't know his face !! My lecture will be on October 20th and it would be great to present such document .
Thanks a lot for any answer,
Jean-Louis.

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Dear "Captain Lewis" (bravo pour votre français!)

Thank you for all your informations. You've right : your forum is really lively and it's great ! I'm impressed to obtain so quickly many answers.
Sure, I'm able now to give lessons about N 28 and I discover a "dark side" of the 95th (sex affairs in France ...! GASP has you said )
Anyway, you confirm the existence of Miller Field : I guess his name was given because he was from New-York, member of a well-known family, certainly one of the 1st casualties in US military aviation,1st commander of the 95th, hero of the Great War... Stop me if i'm wrong !
But his grave is still here in France, in my area, and I'm wondering why his family didn't claim his body ...perhaps James Miller' choice ?
Read you later,
Jean-Louis

[Michael_Dailey]

I still question whether Miller was indeed flying a Nieuport 27 or 28 when he was shot down.

'The Jasta War Chronology' by Norman Franks, et.al. has CPT Miller KIA by a LT R Hildebrandt of Ja13 at SW Laon for his first victory.

It also says LT Hildebrand claimed this victory as a SPAD 7 no.3144.

If one believes what TJWC says, it appears Miller was indeed flying a SPAD



Regards,

MDD