The remains of Private Leroy B. Miller, Jr., U.S. Army, killed in action during World War II, return to Indianapolis Aug. 15 following the correction of a historical misidentification by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA).
Pvt. Miller, born April 3, 1925, served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. Miller was reported missing on November 8, 1944, during the Battle of Hürtgen Forest near Kommerscheidt, Germany.
Though initially identified in 1947 using recovered dog tags, modern forensic review confirmed the original identification was erroneous.
The arrival ceremony for Miller takes place at 5:37 p.m. on Aug. 15 at Indianapolis International Airport. The event will include military honors and a family escort on the tarmac, accompanying American Airlines Flight #1981.
A burial service with full military honors is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Aug. 22 at Crown Hill Cemetery. The ceremony will feature pallbearers, a flag presentation and a rifle salute, alongside performances of Miller’s original musical compositions.
Miller’s family, including niece Fayette Moore, nephews Michael and Lance Hamilton and extended relatives, will attend.
The public is invited to the graveside service, with adherence to security protocols required.
Emmanuel Smith of Flanner Buchanan Funeral Home, overseeing arrangements, stated: “It means a lot to bring one of our own home. He paid the ultimate price for our freedoms, and for that, I am truly grateful.”
The repatriation effort involves coordination between Flanner Buchanan – Broad Ripple, the Indiana Military Funeral Honors Team, DPAA and the Patriot Guard.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846 or via email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on Facebook @HorsemenSportsMedia. For more news, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
