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“Somebody said it couldn’t be
done,
But he with a chuckle replied,
That maybe it couldn’t, but he
wouldn’t be one
To say so ’til he tried ...”
This
quotation was taken from a scrapbook and photo album assembled by an 11-yearold
boy, in which he carefully outlined his memories, his likes and dislikes, and
the philosophy he had so far developed. To those who knew Paul in later years,
it was evident that he remained true to the thoughts he expressed in his
youthful autobiography.
Paul
Miller, Jr., had deep military roots. He was born in
1930 in Washington, DC, where the Army War College then was located. Paul
Mueller, his father (who changed his name to Miller after arriving in the United
States), had been a horse cavalryman as a teenager in the German Army and began
a career in the U.S. Army soon after immigrating. He served more than 30 years,
retiring as a master sergeant with a reserve commission as a major. Paul’s older
brother, Lee ’34, was commissioned in the Infantry and served in World War II,
primarily in intelligence assignments. Lee’s French, German, and Italian
interpretation skills were important all over the European Theater, notably in
1942 at the Casablanca Conference. He also was one of the first Americans to
enter Berlin. After the war, he became the U.S. Army attaché in Ankara, Turkey,
and retired as a colonel. With these two forbears as role models, as well as his
mother, who had survived the difficulties of immigration from Austro-Hungarian
Bohemia before marrying his father, it should not be surprising that Paul’s
soldierly inclinations were so strong.
Before
entering West Point, Paul carried a full academic load for two years at UCLA,
including ROTC each semester, preparing him well for his military and academic
success at the Academy. He was a “man for all seasons” as a cadet, a star man,
12th in his class, and a cadet lieutenant, adjutant of the 2d Battalion, 1st
Regiment. He was a hop manager, member of the Debate Council, and sang in both
the Cadet Chapel Choir and the Glee Club. He excelled on the athletic field as
well. Although just one of five plebes on Company E-1’s Brigade Championship
Lacrosse Team, he was singled out for promotion to Corps Squad Lacrosse.
Paul chose
to become an artilleryman upon graduation, and, after schooling at Ft. Sill and
earning his jump wings at Ft. Benning, he journeyed to Offutt Air Force Base,
where he married Judith Sillin, daughter of MG Norman Sillin, U.S. Air Force.
Paul and Judy then traveled to Ft. Carson, CO, to join a Field Artillery
battalion. Not long after, the battalion moved to Germany. As his battery’s fire
direction officer, Paul won the Army Commendation Medal, the first of many
awards and decorations. His academic achievements and military performance
convinced the Army to send him to Penn State University to earn his master’s
degree in chemistry, followed by more than three years with the Department of
Physics and Chemistry faculty at USMA.
Next, Paul
was sent with the 1st Cavalry Division on his first tour to Viet Nam, where he
served as operations officer and executive officer of a Field Artillery
battalion, earning the Bronze Star and Air Medal. After a three-year tour
with the Army Research Office, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.
Next, he completed the Armed Forces Staff College and then returned to Viet Nam,
this time with Headquarters, U.S. Army Viet Nam, where he earned the Legion of
Merit for participating in the management of the drawdown then in progress. More
challenges awaited him in the Army Recruiting Command, which was learning to
deal with the conversion to an all-volunteer force. Another Meritorious Service
Medal and a Joint Service Commendation Medal testified to his success in that
assignment. Paul’s final active duty assignment was in Office of the Assistant
Chief of Staff for Intelligence. In 1980, upon Paul’s Army retirement, classmate
Jim Williams presented Paul the Legion of Merit.
Long after
his uniformed service was over, Paul continued to serve his country in the
intelligence arena. He was hired as an analyst by BDM Corporation for four
years, followed by service with the Central Intelligence Agency, where he was
awarded a Certificate for Exceptional Accomplishment. He returned to BDM for two
years, until entering into formal government service again with the Army
Intelligence Agency, just prior to the first Gulf War. During Operations Desert
Shield and Desert Storm, he served in the Pentagon’s Joint Intelligence Center
and was awarded an Achievement Medal. In 1992, Paul joined the Defense
Intelligence Agency and was the senior intelligence officer for ground force
weapons.
In
addition to being a scholar, athlete, artilleryman, and public servant, Paul
never stopped being a husband to Judy and father to his two sons, Paul S. and
James L. He also did not neglect his close friends, sharing with them many
activities as well as a fondness for Beefeater martinis.
While with
the DIA, Paul was struck with viral encephalitis but fought intensely against
this serious ailment and finally recovered completely, resuming his government
service duties. Tragedy came again, however, in the form of an automobile
accident. Another car struck his at an intersection, and Paul’s neck was broken.
He was frequently in great physical pain, dementia set in, and he never
completely recovered. On 19 May 2005, Paul finally lost the fight.
On 12 Jul
2005, Paul was inurned with military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. More
than a score of Paul’s 1954 classmates and their families, colleagues and
friends joined Judy and his son in their final tribute to him.
One more
quote from the previously mentioned scrapbook may offer additional insight into
the philosophy that marked his life’s profound significance:
“Be you to others kind and true
As you’d have others be to you,
And neither say nor do to men
What e’er you would not take
again.”
—His widow and classmates
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