Capt. Adam Miller, USMC  

(reprinted from Chicago Sun Times, January 24, 2004)

Marine from Midlothian killed in Calif. copter crash

The south suburban mother of one of four Marines killed in a helicopter crash at a training session at Camp Pendleton, Calif. praised her son Friday for putting his life on the line for his country.

"We were proud of our son and the good person that he was," said Sandra Miller, mother of 29-year-old Capt. Adam Miller of Midlothian, who died in the accident Thursday.

Miller, who had returned from Iraq on Sept. 5, 2003, was stationed in San Diego and was training to return to Iraq. He had graduated with a degree in aviation engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1996. He received his lieutenant bars in 1997 and his wings in 1998.

Miller, who had wanted to fly since he was a child, was married and had two younger siblings, his mother said in a phone interview.

"From the time he was 4, it was his dream to be a pilot," she said. "He never wanted to do anything else."

The UH-1 Huey, a cargo-type helicopter, crashed Thursday evening, according to Maj. T.V. Johnson. Military officials said three of the Marines were dead at the scene and a fourth died at a civilian hospital. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

"We believe in our military, and we support them 100 percent," Miller said. "They give unconditionally, and I live a free life today because of what my son did for this country."

Contributing: AP