Hershal L. Miller was an ex Prisoner of War (POW) in World War II.
As the war was starting in the Pacific, he was captured with other Marines December 23, 1941, in the Battle of Wake Island. Immediately after Pearl Harbor our enemy advanced on a small island in the Pacific named Wake. A small group of people, of which Hershal was a member, held this island against unheard odds for 15 days.
With little, or no hopes for help, and no hope at all for the last week. These gallant few did the impossible. The commanding officer quotes Hershal, after performing a unheard of task, as saying, "If they want this island, they are going to have to work for it." The is the kind of convictions our Hershal is famous for.
Then the inevitable transpired. The enemy overran the island. For the following 3 years and 9 months, these men suffered worse that death. Anyone has to see the result of prison torture to realize its horror and for anyone to retain his character, dignity, integrity and compassion through all of this definitely means he is strong. This again was our Hershal. Fortitude was his strong point.
In all, he was held in 13 different prison camps, and when finally released, returned to Alvarado and worked for years as a rural mail carrier. He established the VFW Post #9299 in Alvarado, TX during 1978-1979 and served as the 1st Commander of the post. He never forgot the significance of the fighting in World War II and the tortures he endured as a prisoner. "I'll never forget the price Americans throughout history have paid for freedom." he said in an interview once.
