John Cosden Miller

Captain John Cosden Miller, better known as Captain Jack, of Church Hill, MD, died on June 20, 2000, in Hartly, DE. He was 74. He was born to William T. and Elizabeth Rose Cosden Miller on March 17, 1926. He was raised by his legal guardians and uncle, Captain Benjamin H. and Henrietta Donlan Cosden. He was educated in Cordova and Chestertown, MD. Captain Jack entered the U.S. Navy in Sampson, NY, on November 8, 1943. He attended Diesel Electric School in Ames, IA, Small Craft Maintenance School at the Naval Yard in Philadelphia, PA, Gun School in VA Beach, VA, and Amphibian School in Damn Neck, VA. He served on the USS Burleson in Vallejo, CA, the Amphibious Attack Ship 167 in support of the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions in Guam and Espirito Santos and on the USS Rutland, APA 192 in support of the same two divisions during the invasion of Okinawa on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945. He served on the USS Egret, Mine Sweeper #46 during the Korean Conflict. Captain Miller also served in Vietnam for three years with the 1st Junk Fleet as an Advisor to the Vietnamese, and later aboard the Destroyers USS Forrester, USS Carpenter, and the missile guided cruiser USS Chicago, with the Shore Bombardment group. His final tour of duty was Chief of Station at Quonset Point, RI. He served for thirty-two years, twenty-six and a half of those on active duty. His service medals, campaign ribbons, and personal awards are too numerous to mention. Captain Miller, his father, and his five brothers served faithfully in WWI, WWII, Korea, and/or Vietnam. The Miller household was one of God and Country. Upon his retirement from the U.S. Navy as Chief Boatswain’s Mate, Captain Jack piloted tugboats and oil tankers in western rivers, costal and offshore waters. He also sailed internationally with Sun Oil Company. He was a navigational instructor at the Seafarers International Union in Piney Point, MD, University of Rhode Island Engineering School, and Johnson and Whales College. Captain Miller was a member of the Fleet Reserve Association in Annapolis, MD, Past Commander and life member of the V.F.W. Post 652 in Millington, MD, a life member of the American Legion Post #18 Centreville, MD, and Bay Country Moose Lodge in Queenstown, MD. Captain Jack was very proud that he was the only former member of the U.S. Navy that was a life member of the USMC Tankers Association. His wife, Mary Evelyn Everett, and his brothers predeceased him. He is survived by a son, Robert F. Miller and his wife Stephanie of Honolulu, HI; a granddaughter, Sarah Megan Agnew Miller; a grandson, Stephen Patrick Agnew Miller also of Honolulu; a dear and long-time companion and friend, Catherine Annie Bowers Faulkner; and her four children, Bruce, Kenneth, Kathy, and Karen of Hartly, DE. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday June 28, 2000, at 10 a.m. at Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church in Centreville. Interment will be in Church Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the VA Hospital in Elsmere, DE, c/o VFW Post 652 Millington, MD; to Delaware Hospice Lotus Plaza, 911 South DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901; or to Operation Help, Inc., P.O. Box 57, Hartly, DE 19953.