Miller, Robert M.

ROBERT MILO MILLER

SERGEANT
U.S. ARMY

Robert Milo Miller was born in Geneva, Indiana on September 12, 1913. He had three older brothers, William S. Miller, George A. Miller, and Arlington A. Miller. His parents are Milo M. Miller and Anna B. Hardin. He moved to Oklahoma for a short time when he was 12-15 but ended up back in Indiana where he finished High School at Geneva High School in 1931. During Roberts teen years, he ended up taking things a little to far. He took on too much schoolwork at once and, according to his best friend Ellis Heeter, "he had a nervous breakdown". Despite this, Robert persisted, received good grades, and graduated. According to Ellis, Robert could draw, sculpt, and he enjoyed watercolors.

From the ages 15-18, Robert worked as an apprentice, then as a typist for the Geneva Herald. After high school, he accepted a job at a small town newspaper in Oklahoma. While enroute to Oklahoma, however, he mistakenly mixed up his train for a train bound for Mexico. He ended being jobless and made a stop in California to try something new. Eventually, once again, he finds his way back to Indiana to live with his parents. While in Decatur, worked at Limberlost Service Station and on June 9, 1940, he married the love his life, Betty Jo Blocher.

When the attack on Pearl Harbor happened, Ellis and Robert were together. When they heard about the travesty over the radio. Rob said that should both enlist. Ellis said that he could not because, his wife was pregnant. The next day, Robert went and enlisted but was initially denied. After being denied entry into military service, he went on to purchase and own a weekly newspaper in Largo, Indiana. During this time, Robert and Betty welcomed into the world their daughter Jaqueline Miller on July 10, 1943.

His daughter, Jaqueline, would later say of him "My father wanted to become a writer of fiction and/or a journalist... He took every opportunity to advance and position himself in the world of print media".

In December 1943, Robert was drafted into the United States Army. He received training at Fort McClellan, Alabama and Fort Meade, Maryland. Eventually, he was made an Assistant Squad leader in the 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. The Division’s nickname is the “Big Red One”. The 1st Division took part in the invasion of North Africa in November 1942. On D-Day (June 6, 1944), elements of the 1st Division were part of the first wave on Omaha Beach during Operation Overlord.

In early October,1944 while the 1st Division was liberating Aachen,  Robert was hit by a piece of shrapnel and was wounded. He would  make a full recovery and returned to his unit shortly thereafter as they drove across the Hurtgen Forest to the Ruhr when the Germans launched  their last offensive of the war in December, which became known as the "Battle of Bulge". Despite continuous fighting through December to the end of January 1945, the allies were able to repel the offensive and again push east into Germany.

The 1st Division were some of the first Americans to cross the Rhine River and begin encircling the Ruhr Pocket where over 300,000 German troops were taken prisoner. On March 19th, 1945, Sgt Miller was hit by shrapnel from a German artillery shell. He died the same day near Eudenberg, Germany. He is now interred in the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Belgium; Plot C, Row 7, Grave 53. A service was performed by a protestant minister.

On May 8, 1945; the 1st Division went on to liberate Zwodau and Falkenau, which are both subcamps of the concentration camp Flossenburg.

For his service and sacrifice, Sgt. Miller earned the Bronze Star, Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster, American Theatre Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal. Sergeant Miller also earned the Combat Infantryman Badge.

Information researched and collected by Gracie Bowers (2018) and Matthew Smitley (2024). 

SOURCES

“American War Memorials Overseas.” Miller Robert Milo, 2008, https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/people_details.php?PeopleID=3322

Enlistment Records. "Robert M Miller." Ancestry, Ancestry.com, search.ancestryclassroom.com

Ingenweb.org. Berne Witness, IN Gen, http://ingenweb.org/inadams/Military/WWII/GSMillerRobertMilo.pdf

Photos of Sgt Robert Milo Miller - Find a Grave...” Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56283821/robert-milo-miller/photo

  “Robert M. Miller.” American Battle Monuments Commission,                                                                                         https://www.abmc.gov/decedent-  search/miller%3Drobert-10

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