The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

By Steve Edwards

BCJ News

Reporter's note: Doug Hayes, the Chinook High teacher who guides trips to Washington, DC, was telling me about a visit he made to the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Not a regular stop on Hayes' trips to DC, he said, "There is a connection between the Marine Museum and Chinook. The Museum has a statue of Howie Miller when he was in Iraq." Hayes told, "The only time I was there Perry and Pauli Miller were on the trip, they wanted to go to the Museum to see the statue of their son, Howie. Someone with the Museum took them to the sculptor's studio, where the statue was still in the process of being completed." Hayes showed me a photo that the photographer took and later used for sculpting the statue. It sounded like a story few "Journal" readers were aware of and I decided see what I could learn about the sculpture.

Howard "Howie" Miller, U.S. Marine from Chinook

Howie Miller grew up in Chinook and graduated from Chinook High in 2004. He said, "The day after graduation I left for Marine boot camp." He served in the Corps for eight years, completing two combat tours-one each in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now back home in Chinook with his two young daughters and wife, Andrea, he works for Red Rock and Outback Power, doing electrical-related construction and repairs.

Miller was in Iraq, in 2005, as a machine gunner. In November he was involved in Operation Steel Curtain, a military endeavor involving coalition forces, along the Euphrates River to reduce the inflow of insurgents from nearby Syria, just across the border. At Ubaydi, a small border town, his unit was preparing for an assault on a school house held by enemy forces. Miller added, "We had already been involved in a firefight that morning. We were all in a heightened state of readiness to face a new situation and expected heavy resistance at the location."

As the Marines were grouped before moving to take up their positions, Chief Warrant Officer Mike Fay, a combat artist traveling with the Marines, took Miller's photograph. Miller had his machine gun and a bandolier with 200 rounds of ammunition across his shoulders. Miller said, "I was 19 years old and about to begin an intense assault. When I saw the photographer take the photo I thought, 'If I die today at least my folks will have a good photo of me.'" Miller added, "CWO Fay was always with the units that would likely see the most intense fighting. I think our commanding officer told him where the action would be."

During Operation Steel Curtain Miller's unit had already taken several casualties. On the day the photo was taken more Marines were killed or wounded, as well as during subsequent days of the operation. Miller said, "Later, when I was back home, I learned six Silver Stars and one Navy Cross were awarded to Marines in my unit." At least 10 U.S. Marines were killed during Operation Steel Curtain. Miller added, "After leaving Iraq I never thought about the photograph that Mike Fay took that day."

Later, while still in the Marines and serving as a recruiter in Missoula, Miller received an email from Master Gunnery Sergeant Joe Bailey, his old 'gunny' from their time in Iraq. The Marine Corps was trying to identify the Marine and Bailey recognized Miller as the machine gunner in the photo. Mike Fay, both a photographer and sculptor, contacted Miller to get his permission to use him as the model for a sculpture and explain how it was to be used at the Marine museum.

Chief Warrant Officer Michael Fay, Combat Artist

Mike Fay, himself a Marine having reenlisted three separate times in the Corps, was currently assigned as a Combat Artist in Iraq. He served two tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Fay said, "As one of three combat artists with the Marines I was told, 'Go to war, do art.'" He later earned a Master of Fine Arts degree, equivalent to a PhD in art.

His assignment was to document Marines in combat, using whatever art medium he chose-he photographed, sketched, sculpted and painted combat settings and action. Of his art, he explained, "I tried to avoid stereotypes. I hoped my art showed what is true and real about the actual experience of war and warriors. I tried to give people another view, another opportunity to grasp what was happening in the unfolding drama called the Global War on Terrorism."

When he saw Miller, readying for combat in Iraq, Fay said, "His stance reminded me of Michelangelo's classic sculpture of David, standing in an opposite pose from the original sculpture." That's when he took Miller's photo. Later, back home, Fay was asked to create a series of sculptures for a new exhibit planned for the National Museum of the Marine Corps. The "post-Vietnam era" exhibit is now under construction at the museum in Quantico, Virginia. Fay made five, 23 inch statues, some of which will be used in the new exhibit and in other places in the museum.

To create the five sculptures Fay used a technique called écorché in which the sculptor begins a human-form sculpture with the skeletal framework then adds muscles, tissues and skin to complete the work. Fay said he used a combination of clay, wax and papier-mâché. It took about one year to create the first sculpture, later ones, per Fay, went much faster. The original sculpture was destroyed once the foundry made the mold for casting. The sculpture is cast in parts, then tig-welded together.

According to Joan Thomas, Art Curator at the Marine Museum, the statue of Miller will likely be used in the new post-Vietnam exhibit. She added that the statue will always be a part of the permanent collection of Marine-related art, though no one piece is necessarily exhibited long term. She noted, "The design on the new expansion is still ongoing and some phases will not be open for four years or longer."

Howie Miller reacts

to the sculpture

Courtesy Photo

This is a copy of a photo of Howie Miller, a Marine from Chinook, taken by Marine Combat Artist Mike Fay. Fay used the photo to make a sculpture of Miller to give viewers a sense of the experiences of war and warriors.

Miller said, "Actually, I've never seen the sculpture. I would love to see it. Not every Marine gets a statue made of themselves." He added, "When I see it there will likely be a lot of emotion. Maybe when our girls are older (Makenzie is four years old and Jennifer is one) and they can appreciate what they are seeing, we'll make a trip to DC to the Museum and see it."

Recalling the circumstances surrounding the photo of him taken in Iraq, Howie said, "That was the best of times and the worst of times." Asked what he meant by that statement, he explained, "I was with a group of Marines whose goal was to take care of each other. You think in terms of protecting the guy to your left and to your right. We were in hard situations, it was difficult. It's hard to describe those feelings, to understand you had to experience combat. It was an honor to serve with men who were so unselfish." Miller, ten years after the fact, can vividly recall the events of the assaults, the names and ranks of his comrades who didn't survive or were wounded. Recalling obviously brought back some painful memories.