Then & Now
Deceased · 2004
Marvin
Miller
Miller
Sergeant · Recon · 11F40
Platoon
Cat (Wild Cat) Platoon · 3rd
In-Country Service
4 Dec 1970 – 2 Dec 1971
Home of Record
Kittanning, Armstrong Co., PA
Character of Service
Honorable
Decorations & Awards
Bronze Star Medal
Combat Infantry Badge
Vietnam Service Medal w/2 Stars
Vietnam Campaign Medal w/60 Device
National Defense Service Medal
Service Timeline
Reconstructed from letters Marvin wrote to his mother during his tour, supplemented by unit records and accounts from fellow soldiers. Compiled by his son, 2024–2025.
15 Dec 1970
Arrival
Arrives at FSB Mace
Marvin arrived at FSB Mace a few days after processing through the replacement depot at Bien Hoa. His first assignment with Delta Company.
24 Jan 1971
Morale
USO Show at FSB Silver
The company attended a USO show at FSB Silver — a rare and welcome break from operations.
Late Jan 1971
FSB Movement
Silver Stands Down — Cat Platoon Last to Leave
FSB Silver was dismantled and the company moved to FSB Fontaine. Cat Platoon was the last unit to depart Silver. Marvin was asked by the Colonel to draw a scaled model of the new base at Fontaine — a task that drew on skills nobody had formally recognized until then.
20 Apr 1971
Combat Action
Documented
Contact North of FSB Fanning — Three KIA
Delta Company made contact with an NVA base camp north of Route 1, east of Gia Rai Mountain. Cat Platoon's patrol spotted enemy soldiers bathing in a creek. Range Platoon, crossing to the north bank, walked into a fortified bunker complex. CPL James Cardwell, CPL Danny Drinkard, and CPL Joseph Hall were killed. SSgt Stan Dillon was severely wounded. Marvin was present with Cat Platoon on the south bank.
⚠ Source Notice — Multiple Accounts Exist
The summary above draws from written depositions of Capt. Bill Neal (Company Commander) and SSgt Stan Dillon (Range Platoon Sgt.), supplemented by accounts from other unit members. These represent individual perspectives recorded years after the event. Details of sequence, positioning, and circumstance vary between accounts. No single account should be read as a definitive record. Additional recollections are welcomed and will be preserved alongside existing accounts without editorial reconciliation.
24 Apr 1971
Incident
Photographed by Marvin · Only Known Record
Huey Crash at FSB Fontaine — Three Killed
A Huey departing FSB Fontaine crashed shortly after takeoff, killing the pilot, co-pilot, and Battalion Armor SP4 Richard Colburn. Company Armor Jim Garvin had been bumped from the flight minutes before departure and watched it go down from the firebase. Veterans who reviewed the photographs believe Marvin was among the first soldiers on scene — the wreckage is undisturbed, consistent with the moments just after casualties were removed. He remained through the full recovery operation, producing what are believed to be the only known photographs of this incident. FSB Fanning was later named in honor of the pilot who died.
19 Jun 1971
R&R
Returns from R&R in Hong Kong
Marvin returned from R&R in Hong Kong. The company was at FSB Fanning and due to rotate to Vung Tau on June 21.
3 Sep 1971
FSB Movement
Company Moves to FSB Jeffreys
The unit established at FSB Jeffreys, not far from a Vietnamese village. This firebase does not appear in official unit records but is documented in Marvin's letters.
24 Nov 1971
Final Weeks
"Short-Timer's Attitude"
With departure set for December 4, Marvin wrote home asking family to stop writing. He noted it had gotten very cold — below 60 degrees — and that no one could sleep with only one blanket. He described having a "short-timer's attitude" as his tour wound down.
2 Dec 1971
Discharge
Returns Home — Honorable Discharge
Marvin Dale Miller was discharged at US Army Personnel Center, Oakland, California. He returned home to Kittanning, Pennsylvania.
Photographs
Marvin carried a camera throughout his tour. Except where noted, every photograph here was taken by him — a first-person visual record of what he witnessed and found worth preserving.
Through His Eyes — Photographs He Took
Among His Brothers — Photographs Others Took of Marvin
Note on Wartime Content
This gallery includes photographs taken in a combat zone. Some images depict the realities of war. They are preserved here as historical documentation.
Documents & Records
DD-214 Report of Transfer or Discharge
Official
Letters Home — Marvin to His Mother
Personal
D/2-8 Movement Timeline, Dec 1970 – Dec 1971
Compiled
Also Appears In — Documents
Press Clipping
Served Alongside
L
Larry Cate
Cat · 1970–71
Deceased
V
Val Romani
Cat · 1970–71
Archive Contributor
L
Leroy Sells
Cat · 1970–71
Deceased
K
Ken Weaver
Cat · 1971–72
Archive Contributor
M
Marvin Miller
Cat · 1970–71
Deceased - This Profile
Did You Know Marvin, or Serve Alongside Marvin?
We are actively collecting photographs, letters, and memories for this profile. Submissions are reviewed before publication. If you served with Marvin — or are a family member with materials — we'd be grateful to hear from you.