William R. Miller

I was in the radio room at G. Q. I believe that Joe Paettie was on the receivers that morning copying code. I remember the 5 inch guns firing and then the 20mm. I said to Paettie that the planes must be close because of the 20mm firing. Not being able to see anything in the radio room, I decided to go outside to see what was happening. As I got out of the upper deck, I looked to starboard and saw a plane coming to the water, maybe 20 or 30 feet high. The guns were actually cutting the wings off the plane. At this point I ran back to the radio room. About that time the plane hit the ship and of course the ship went dead in the water. It was at this time we got into our life jackets. Titus didn't have one so I gave him mine because Harold could not swim. Just about then there was another severe explosion, which folded a corner of the exit door in so that we could not get out. We were trapped. I don't know what made me do it but I kicked at the bottom of the door and I fell out. Of course all of the men got out of the radio room. I checked the de-coding room as I went by and everything was blown inside. At this point, I headed for the bridge. I got up about 3 or 4 steps on the lader and the ship began to list to starboard. At this point there was a door to the outside to port and I headed for it. At this time the ship was on her side so I stood on the locker and pulled myself up to the side of the ship. I then walked down the side of the ship when I hit the water line. I went into a slide and then dove into the water. All I could remember was to get away from the ship so that I wouldn't be sucked under with her. When the stern of the ship sunk and her bow went into the air, all I could hear were the things tumbling inside the ship. It was if someone had dumped a load of steel cans. I'll never forget those sounds. I was swimming in oil about a foot thick and about that time a fire started. All I could think of was to get out of the oil and I swam with everything I had. After I got out of the oil, I was exhausted. I was about to go under when I came upon Jim Anderson who saved me by holding on to him until I caught my second wind. We found an empty powder container which I held on to until I was picked up by the small boat which one of the LCS sent out. Until recently, I never knew the man who helped me in the water. I can't thank him enough. After I was picked up, they treated me for a leg and arm wound.