The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Commander David Bruce Miller, United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight in jet aircraft on 15 April 1966, as leader of a 19-plane group while Commanding Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR (VA-144) embarked in U.S.S. TICONDEROGA (CVA-14). Command Miller planned, weaponeered, and led a 19-plane coordinated strike on the Vinh Luu and the Ha Tinh Highway Bridges which were near one another in a well-defended area in North Vietnam. Weather conditions were marginal, hampering navigation and forcing the flight down to 400 feet on the run-in approaching the coast. Although visibility was reduced to one to two miles over the water, he calculated that the off-coast fog and base conditions would improve inland and continued the approach to coastal penetration where conditions were found to be satisfactory as estimated. On approaching the target at 3,500 feet in the face of a known surface-to-air missile threat, Commander Miller initiated a “pop-up” maneuver to 8,000 feet, splitting the attack group to come in from two main directions in order to divide the anti-aircraft artillery and automatic weapons fire. Despite heavily concentrated fire in the immediate vicinity of the target, he courageously and aggressively initialized a coordinated close-interval dive bombing attack scoring a hit with a 1,000-pound bomb on the east end of the Vinh Luu Bridge. As a result the strike group succeeded in completely destroying the Ha Tinh bridge and dropping a large portion of the Vinh Luu Bridge. His courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
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Awards Received
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Silver Star
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Distinguished Flying Cross
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Distinguished Flying Cross
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Distinguished Flying Cross
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Silver Star
Service:
United States NavyRank:
CommanderBatallion:
Attack Squadron 144 (VA-144)Division:
U.S.S. Ticonderoga (CVA-14)Action Date:
April 19, 1966
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Commander David Bruce Miller, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in aerial combat in jet aircraft while serving as Commanding Officer of Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR (VA-144), embarked in U.S.S. TICONDEROGA (CVA-14), on the afternoon of 19 April 1966. Commander Miller, as strike leader of a flight of 11 aircraft, was assigned to destroy the Haiphong Highway Bridge which is the most vulnerable and consequently the most heavily defended portion of the only route leading from Communist China into Haiphong from the north and east. Having earlier in the day reconnoitered over land in the vicinity of the target, and observing the marginal weather and enemy defenses, Commander Miller determined that a relatively small group of aircraft carrying maximum ordnance loads had the best chance of success in striking the bridge. Accordingly he had all external fuel tanks removed from the A-4’s and all stations loaded with maximum bomb loads. This bold weaponeering nearly doubled the ordnance normally put on target by the A-4 aircraft. Gaining altitude on approaching the target area, a missile warning was received and he calmly led the group to low altitude, successfully evading the surface-to-air missiles. Climbing after these two missiles cleared the flight, and in the face of intense enemy anti-aircraft fire which hit his own aircraft and gravely damaged a maneuvering fighter escort, Commander Miller positioned the strike group in an optimum attack position. In spite of a 37 millimeter projectile which had exploded inside the dorsal fin of his aircraft creating a large hole, and although two additional missiles were observed being fired at the strike group, Commander Miller intrepidly and valiantly pressed home the attack, personally placing one 2,000-pound and two 1,000-pound bombs directly at the base of the western support, dropping the center lift span of the bridge. As a result of Commander Miller’s imaginative planning and valiant leadership, his daring and heroic actions in aggressively pressing the attack which damaged his aircraft, and his loyal devotion to duty in the face of intense enemy fire upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
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Distinguished Flying Cross
Service:
United States NavyRank:
CommanderBatallion:
Attack Squadron 144 (VA-144)Division:
U.S.S. Ticonderoga (CVA-14)Action Date:
December 23, 1965
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Commander David Bruce Miller, United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight in jet aircraft on 23 December 1965, as a combat pilot of an A-4 aircraft, while serving with Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR (VA-144), embarked in U.S.S. TICONDEROGA (CVA-14). Commander Miller was the strike leader of the combined strike group assigned to destroy the Hai Duong Highway/Railway Bridge located in North Vietnam. After complete planning of the strike, Commander Miller expeditiously effected a rendezvous of 40 aircraft from TICONDEROGA and U.S.S. KITTY HAWK (CVA-63). With precise navigation over an undercast to the planned coastal entry point, Commander Miller brilliantly maneuvered the entire strike group through heavy enemy anti-aircraft fire and surface-to-air missile firings while still countering the environment threat of enemy aircraft with no loss of strike group aircraft. His skillful flying and leadership enabled him to position the entire strike group in such a manner as to permit an effective, coordinated strike that exposed the strike group aircraft to concentrated enemy fire for a minimal period of time. Commander Miller’s timely direction and utilization of flak suppression aircraft precluded effective enemy concentration of anti-aircraft fire on the main strike group while in the target area. His accurate maneuvering and aggressive, determined attack materially aided in the overall damage incurred to the bridge and were of prime importance in enabling all aircraft to return undamaged. His courageous and heroic actions in a combat environment were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
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Distinguished Flying Cross
Service:
United States NavyRank:
CommanderBatallion:
Attack Squadron 144 (VA-144)Division:
U.S.S. Ticonderoga (CVA-14)Action Date:
November 28, 1965
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Commander David Bruce Miller, United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight as Pilot of an A-4C aircraft while serving as Commanding Officer, Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR (VA-144) embarked in U.S.S. TICONDEROGA (CVA-14). On 28 November 1965, Commander Miller was acting as strike leader on a special strike mission against the Ha Chanh Bridge in North Vietnam. Through his professional airmanship and skill in weaponry, the strike, although conducted under continuous automatic weapons and anti-aircraft fire, succeeded in dropping one span of the bridge and causing serious damage to the remaining spans and approaches. Commander Miller’s determination, bravery, and devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
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Distinguished Flying Cross
Service:
United States NavyRank:
CommanderRegiment:
Attack Carrier Wing 5Division:
U.S.S. Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31)Action Date:
May 12, 1968
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Third Gold Star in lieu of a Fourth Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Commander David Bruce Miller, United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight in jet aircraft on 12 May 1968, while serving as Commander, Attack Carrier Air Wing FIVE embarked in U.S.S. BON HOMME RICHARD (CVA-31). Commander Miller planned and led two 12-plane strikes against a newly deployed surface-to-air missile site near the city of Vinh, North Vietnam, and struck an additional nearby surface-to-air missile site on the same day. Having thoroughly studied charts and photography of the area, he quickly located the target on the first strike and placed the group in optimum position for attack. Despite heavy 37-mm. and automatic weapons fire in the area, he scored direct rocket hits, heavily damaging two of the six radar vans and marking the site for following bombers, who destroyed a total of three vans and one of the four launchers. Returning later the same day leading the second strike group, he again was confronted with heavy and determined anti-aircraft artillery fire; however the attack was pressed with such devastating effect that all of the remaining vans and launchers were completely destroyed and the target was left burning. Having saved half of his rockets for a reported active surface-to-air missile site nearby, Commander Miller then detached from the strike group with his wingman and despite continuous 85-mm. AW fire en route, he proceeded to press home an attack on the second surface-to-air missile site. His first rockets impacted in a missile transporter causing an immediate explosion of debris. Commander Miller’s professional planning and aggressive leadership were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.