The website of Thurman Miller

Latest update: Thurman's family memoir "Some Time Ago"

Thurman Miller

Thurman Miller is a writer and veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, enlisting in 1940 and serving in World War II with unit K-3-5 of the First Marine Division on Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester. After returning stateside as a Gunny Sergeant he was an instructor at the USMC's Officer Candidate Applicant Battalion. The Emmy-winning HBO miniseries The Pacific is based in part on the story of his Marine Corps outfit. Born in 1919 and still keeping up a busy schedule of speaking engagements, he has written extensively about his wartime experiences in the South Pacific, growing up in rural Appalachia in the Roaring Twenties and the Depression, and working more than three decades in the coal mining industry. He formerly served as President of the West Virginia Chapter of the First Marine Division and currently lives in Mt. Hope, WV. For additional photos and much more, become friends with Thurman on Facebook
News	Selected Media		Calendar (partial)
> Thurman was a featured guest at the Ohio Valley Military Society's Show of Shows in Louisville, Kentucky, Feb. 24-26, along with his old comrade R.V. Burgin (pictured below, featured in The Pacific miniseries and author of Islands of the Damned) and Brad Freeman, Buck Compton, and Earl McClung of the Band of Brothers series and book. with Mr. Burgin >Thurman was a guest of honor for the August 25-26 2010 Eglin Air Force Base Armed Forces Appreciation Day, along with several soldiers from the Band of Brothers miniseries and several of his Marine Corps buddies featured in The Pacific miniseries. The weekend finished with an Emmy-watching party at the USS Alabama Battleship Park in Mobile. (The Pacific won for best miniseries.) Flyer for the Event / Photos	>Video introduction to Mr. Miller's life (7 minutes - excerpt from 90 minute documentary interview produced by Rare Earth Media.) >WLEX TV interview >WOAY TV interview >WVVA TV interview > Audio conversation among members of K-3-5, First Marine Division, Guadalcanal (75 min.) Part 1 Part 2		April 2009 - speaking at Mountain State University, Beckley, WV April 2009 - Coal Cultural Class speech, Erma Byrd Higher Education Center April, 2010 - speaking at Mountain State University, Beckley, WV May 29, 2010 - Book signing, Tamarack, Beckley, WV Nov. 9, 2009 - Book signing, Sophia Public Library book Aug. 25, 2010 - Armed Forces Appreciation Day and Emmy-watching party, Ft. Walton Beach, FL Nov. 11, 2010 - Barnes and Noble Veteran's Day panel discussion, Lexington, KY Feb. 25, 2011 - Show of Shows, Ohio Valley Military Society, Louisville, KY For information on on speaking engagements, please contact
The night before we landed on Guadalcanal we used money to light our last cigarettes; it would be of no use to us on the island. I kept this fragment as a souvenir.		My original Australian-made First Marine Division patch, issued in 1943. The Old Breed survives.

Books by Thurman Miller Click on any picture to go to the book's Amazon.com page

War and Work (2001) is the epic story of a young man’s journey from a poor Appalachian childhood through the most notorious battles of World War II, followed by a thirty-year career in the most dangerous occupation in America. With dozens of historic photos and a down-to-earth, often humorous style the book shows off the uncommon wisdom, intelligence, and humility of this member of the Greatest Generation. A distinctly American journey through peace and war, work and family, love and redemption. Sample chapters ^New! PDF copy - $7	Combining original essays, historical material, and interviews, Coal Bloom (2003) draws a stark portrait of a generation struggling through the Depression and the Great War to create an entirely new America. Coal Bloom combines the steadfast patriotism of the Greatest Generation with the pride, resourcefulness and humor unique to Appalachians. With fifty rare photographs, original illustrations, an extensive bibliography, and dozens of endnotes, Coal Bloom is a gripping, distinctly American tale of honor and self-reliance across ten tumultuous decades. Winner of the Coal Heritage Research award. Sample chapters / Bibliography ^New! *PDF copy - $7*	Always Faithful, Always Free (2008) draws on all ten decades of the author's life to paint a vivid portrait of the fast-disappearing Greatest Generation, from the struggles of the Depression and World War II through the creation of an entirely new America. His inspiring journey runs from a "holler" in West Virginia to the shores of Guadalcanal and back, and from the darkness of the coal mines to the brilliance of a lifelong devotion to his beloved wife of 64 years. More about Always Faithful, Always Free ^New! *PDF copy - $7*
All are available at many Waldenbooks, Barnes and Noble, and other fine bookstores, and online from Amazon.com and iUniverse.com. Autographed copies are available directly from the author. Please contact us at dmiller840@aol.com for more information. The author is available for speaking engagements.

>Also visit Thurman & David's historical site about the coal camp of Helen, WV