Fallen Eagles by Norman Franks

Author:Norman Franks
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2017-04-08T04:00:00+00:00

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Captain Z. R. Miller CdG & Palme, 22 July 1922

Zenos Ramsey Miller was born in Pao Ting Fu, China, on 13 September 1896, of American parents who were missionaries. They were the Reverend James A. Miller and Mary McGraw Miller. He had four brothers also born in China, the youngest in 1907. Miller had two nicknames, Red and Zee.

Lieutenant Zenos R. Miller of the 27th Pursuit Squadron.

Miller began his education at the Chefoo Boys School in Shandong Province, Northern China, and when the family returned to the States, he went to Wooster Academy and Wooster College, Ohio. In sport he had success in soccer, basketball and tennis. Planning a medical career, he was guiding his education that way until he enlisted into the USAS.

Joining the American Air Service in March 1917, he completed his flight training in France, but he was far from a natural pilot and had several narrow escapes. On one unfortunate occasion he was coming in to land at Toul and decapitated a French workman cutting the grass who he failed to see. He also accidentally set his aircraft on fire in a hanger, which was also destroyed.

Once his training was complete he was assigned to the 27th Aero Squadron on 24 November. In the summer of 1918 he shot down two kite balloons on 16 July, one in the afternoon, the other that evening. Three days later he shot down a Fokker DVII and, during a patrol on the 20th, was credited with two more DVIIs. The patrol became a disaster due to bad weather causing three American Spads to come down inside German lines, two of the pilots being killed. Miller was the third, and he was taken into captivity.

Sent to Trausnitz Castle, near the Bavarian town of Landshut, then to Villingen near the Swiss border, he saw out the war; but he had been decorated by the French with the Croix de Guerre. His French citation read:

As a patrol leader, has always shown very fine courage and very great self control. On 16 July 1918, over Gland, in the course of a patrol, brought down an enemy kite balloon and fired on troops on the ground. The same day he forced down an enemy balloon after a combat against three Fokkers.

Miller was also the recipient of a Silver Star Citation, 3 June 1919:

By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July, 9, 1918, First Lieutenant (Air Service) Zenos R. Miller, United States Air Service, is cited by the Commanding General, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medal awarded him. First Lieutenant Miller distinguished himself by gallantry in action while serving with the 27th Aero Squadron, A.E.F., in action near Braisnes, France, 20 July 1918, while on a voluntary reconnaissance patrol.

He was also recommended for the DSC but presumably this was not acted upon due to him failing to return from combat on 20 July 1918.

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