Howard R. Miller was born at Spokane, Spokane County, Washington in 1924. His parents were Charles Alwyn Miller (7 Feb 1886 – unk), who was born at Marshalltown, Marshall County, Iowa; Anna T. (Whittle) Miller (26 Aug 1890 – 7 Mar 1941), who was born in Rhode Island. (His mother's first name is recorded as Anadine in the 1940 US census.) He had a sister, Lucille Irene (Miller) Kuckenbecker (2 Mar 1920 – 12 Aug 1998), who was born at Spokane, Washington. In 1940 the family lived at West 107 28th Avenue in Spokane. His father was a foreman and later superintendent at McKesson Drug Company in Spokane.
He attended Jefferson Elementary School, and graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane in 1942. He was enrolled at the University of Idaho and was single, without dependents, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Moscow, Latah County, Idaho on November 4, 1942.
He completed Army Air Forces pilot training, and was assigned as copilot on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Kenneth W. Lang. The Lang crew completed B-17 operational training at Alexandria Army Air Base, Louisiana, and was assigned to the 838th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group. This Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England. The Lang crew arrived at Station 137 by October 31, 1944, and became part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.
On December 24, 1944, the 8th Air Force launched mission #760, the largest aerial mission of the war, which involved more than 2000 heavy bombers. The mission was to bomb German airfields and supply lines, to stop the German offensive in the Ardennes known as the Battle of the Bulge. The 487th Bomb Group led the entire 8th Air Force on this mission. Lt Lang's crew flew B-17G 44-8192 in the number eleven position of the 487th Bomb Group's Low Squadron. The Group's target was the airfield at Babenhausen, Germany, but the formation was attacked south of Liege, Belgium, before the Allied fighter cover arrived. German fighters shot down six of thirteen aircraft in the Low Squadron, including B-17G 44-8192. Lt Miller and three of his crewmates were killed in action. He and Lt Lang were probably killed by enemy gunfire on the flight deck. Sgt Huck and Sgt Kausrud were probably killed by enemy gunfire at their positions in the waist. Sgt Yowan was wounded by enemy gunfire in the ball turret, but he was able to exit the turret and bail out of the burning aircraft along with four others. The survivors landed in friendly territory and were recovered by American forces. The aircraft crashed near Louveigne, Belgium.
Lt Miller is buried at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Belgium.
B-17G 44-8192 crew:
• Lang, Kenneth W – 2/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Miller, Howard R – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Alvine Jr, Samuel – F/O – Navigator – Safe
• Lang, George F – 2/Lt – Bombardier – Safe
• Weber, James A – S/Sgt – Engineer – Safe
• Huck, Donald R – Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Yowan, Robert G – Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – Safe
• Kausrud, Donald C – S/Sgt – Waist Gunner – KIA
• Haskett, Charles W – Sgt – Tail Gunner – Safe
Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com