Lewisburg park namesake becomes the first African American to have a ship named after him

LEWISBURG, WV (WOAY) – Doris otherwise known “Dorie” Miller was in the U.S. Navy during World War II on the USS West Virginia.

He received high honors after he took over gunnery he had no training with during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

He became an African American hero, and he has a Lewisburg park named after him. However, now that he is in the headlines again after having an aircraft carrier named after him, Lewisburg thinks this will attract more people to their park.

“I was like, ‘Wow!’ I had a phone call and the gentlemen said, ‘I thought Dorie Miller was named after just a local person.’ He had no idea, and so I think the buzz will get out there and more people will come to Lewisburg. We’ll make it a destination,” Mayor Beverly White said. 

The park is currently under some renovations, but you can still visit it on Feamster Road.