Frank Robert Miller
Encyclopedia
Air Chief Marshal
Frank Robert Miller, CC
, CBE
, CD
(April 30, 1908 – October 20, 1997) was a Canadian
airman, the last Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff
in 1964, the first Chief of the Defence Staff
from 1964 until 1966, and Deputy Minister
of National Defence
.
on April 30, 1908 to Hedley Miller and his wife Mary. After completing his education at the University of Alberta
(where he gained a BSc) Miller joined the Royal Canadian Air Force
at Camp Borden on September 15, 1931. Later in his career Miller commanded the Air Navigation School at Rivers, Manitoba
and at RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge
. He then commanded the General Reconnaissance School at RCAF Station Summerside before moving to the Air Force Headquarters where he served as Director of Training Plans and Requirements and then Director of Training.
In 1944 Miller, by then an air commodore
, was posted to England
and on September 19 he took up command of RAF Bomber Command
's No. 61 Base in North Yorkshire. No 61 Base was headquartered at Topcliffe
and commanded the RAF establishments at Dalton
, Dishforth
and Wombleton
. On November 9 Millar's command was redesignated No. 76 Base and Gamston
in Nottinghamshire was added as a subordinate unit. On January 13, 1945 Miller took up command of No. 63 Base which was responsible for RAF Leeming
(headquarters) and RAF Skipton-on-Swale
.
After the war, Miller served in several senior positions in the Royal Canadian Air Force. From 1951 to 1954 Miller was Vice-Chief of the Air Staff and he was then posted to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
as General Lauris Norstad
’s Vice-Deputy Air. Gaining promotion to air marshal
in 1955 he then retired from the RCAF at Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent
's request to serve in the senior civil service position of Deputy Minister of National Defence, remaining in post until 1960. Returning to military service in 1960, he was appointed Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff
gaining promotion to air chief marshal
on 1 September 1961. Three years later he become the first Chief of the Defence Staff
, serving from 1964 until 1966.
In 1972 Miller was made a Companion of the Order of Canada
. He died in 1997.
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Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Frank Robert Miller, CC
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, CD
Canadian Forces Decoration
The Canadian Forces Decoration is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to the Governor General of Canada upon his or her appointment as viceroy, which includes the...
(April 30, 1908 – October 20, 1997) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
airman, the last Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff
Chiefs of Staff (Canada)
The Chiefs of Staff Committee was a collection of the heads of each military service in Canada prior to the beginning of Unification: the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
in 1964, the first Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the second most senior member of the Canadian Forces, and heads the Armed Forces Council, having primary responsibility for command, control, and administration of the forces, as well as military strategy, plans, and requirements...
from 1964 until 1966, and Deputy Minister
Deputy Minister (Canada)
In Canada, a deputy minister is the senior civil servant in a government department. He or she takes political direction from an elected minister. Responsibility for the department's day-to-day operations, budget and program development lie with the deputy minister...
of National Defence
Department of National Defence (Canada)
The Department of National Defence , frequently referred to by its acronym DND, is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for all matters concerning the defence of Canada...
.
Military career
Frank Robert Miller was born in Kamloops, British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
on April 30, 1908 to Hedley Miller and his wife Mary. After completing his education at the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
(where he gained a BSc) Miller joined the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
at Camp Borden on September 15, 1931. Later in his career Miller commanded the Air Navigation School at Rivers, Manitoba
Rivers, Manitoba
Rivers is a town in the Canadian province of Manitoba located 40 kilometres northwest of Brandon. Rivers had a population of 1,193 people in the 2006 census. Rivers was named in 1908 after Sir Charles Rivers Wilson, Chairman of the Board of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway...
and at RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge
RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge
RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge was a Royal Canadian Air Force training base located in coastal Charlotte County, New Brunswick in the hamlet of Pennfield Ridge....
. He then commanded the General Reconnaissance School at RCAF Station Summerside before moving to the Air Force Headquarters where he served as Director of Training Plans and Requirements and then Director of Training.
In 1944 Miller, by then an air commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
, was posted to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and on September 19 he took up command of RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
's No. 61 Base in North Yorkshire. No 61 Base was headquartered at Topcliffe
RAF Topcliffe
RAF Topcliffe is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire. It is a satellite station of RAF Linton-on-Ouse.Topcliffe opened in September 1940 as a bomber station in RAF Bomber Command and was home to 77 and 102 Squadrons flying the Whitley heavy bomber. There was a decoy site at Raskelf...
and commanded the RAF establishments at Dalton
RAF Dalton
RAF Dalton was an airfield used by RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War. It was a satellite or sub-station of nearby RAF Topcliffe and actually nearer to the village of Topcliffe than the station so named.-History:...
, Dishforth
RAF Dishforth
Dishforth Airfield is a Royal Air Force/British Army station in North Yorkshire, England. It is currently an Army Air Corps helicopter base and a Relief Landing Ground for RAF Linton-on-Ouse. It is located next to the A1 at Junction 49 with the A168. Dishforth airfield is built over part of the...
and Wombleton
RAF Wombleton
RAF Wombleton was a World War II training airfield located in the county of North Yorkshire, about 1/2 mile south of Wombleton, England.Wombleton opened in 1943 as a sub-station of RAF Topcliffe. It was part of RAF Bomber Command's No. 6 Group RCAF, and along with the main station at Topcliffe and...
. On November 9 Millar's command was redesignated No. 76 Base and Gamston
Retford Gamston Airport
Retford Gamston Airport is a small English airport, located south of Retford and close to Gamston, Bassetlaw, Nottinghamshire. It is used mainly for small private aircraft as well as a base for several private flying schools....
in Nottinghamshire was added as a subordinate unit. On January 13, 1945 Miller took up command of No. 63 Base which was responsible for RAF Leeming
RAF Leeming
RAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, UK.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Leeming. The Station Commander is Group Captain Anthony Innes....
(headquarters) and RAF Skipton-on-Swale
RAF Skipton-on-Swale
RAF Skipton-on-Swale was a Royal Air Force air station operated by RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War. The station was located at Skipton-on-Swale four miles west of Thirsk , North Yorkshire, England. The village of Sandhutton is located just to the east...
.
After the war, Miller served in several senior positions in the Royal Canadian Air Force. From 1951 to 1954 Miller was Vice-Chief of the Air Staff and he was then posted to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the central command of NATO military forces. It is located at Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons...
as General Lauris Norstad
Lauris Norstad
Lauris Norstad was an American General in the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force.-Early life and military career:...
’s Vice-Deputy Air. Gaining promotion to air marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
in 1955 he then retired from the RCAF at Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent
Louis St. Laurent
Louis Stephen St. Laurent, PC, CC, QC , was the 12th Prime Minister of Canada from 15 November 1948, to 21 June 1957....
's request to serve in the senior civil service position of Deputy Minister of National Defence, remaining in post until 1960. Returning to military service in 1960, he was appointed Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff
Chiefs of Staff (Canada)
The Chiefs of Staff Committee was a collection of the heads of each military service in Canada prior to the beginning of Unification: the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
gaining promotion to air chief marshal
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
on 1 September 1961. Three years later he become the first Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the second most senior member of the Canadian Forces, and heads the Armed Forces Council, having primary responsibility for command, control, and administration of the forces, as well as military strategy, plans, and requirements...
, serving from 1964 until 1966.
In 1972 Miller was made a Companion of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. He died in 1997.
Summary of career
- 1925 - 1931: Member of the Canadian Officer Training Corps
- 15 September 1931: Commissioned as a Pilot OfficerPilot OfficerPilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
in the RCAF - October 1931: Posted to No. 1 Squadron, Camp Borden, Ontario
- December 1931: Received pilot's wings after initial flight training.
- 16 December 1931: Promoted to Flying OfficerFlying OfficerFlying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
- July 1932 - January 1933: Served at Air Force HQ in Ottawa
- January-July 1933: Continued training at Camp Borden and in Ottawa
- July 1933: Seaplane Conversion Course at RCAF Ottawa (Rockcliffe)
- August - December 1933: Squadron Armament Officers’ Course at the Air Armament and Bomber School, Camp Borden
- January 1934 - 1935: Pilot and unit adjutant, No. 4 Flying Boat Squadron, RCAF Station Vancouver
- April 1935: Completed Air Pilotage Course
- June 1935: Completed Flying Instruction Course
- 1935 - 1937: Air and navigation instructor, Flying Training School, Camp Borden
- 1 April 1937: Promoted to Flight LieutenantFlight LieutenantFlight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
- May 1937 - September 1938: Served at Air Navigation and Seaplane School, Trenton
- September 1938 - September 1939: At the School of Air Navigation, RAF Manston, to attend the Specialist Air Navigation Course.
- 1 April 1939: Promoted to Squadron LeaderSquadron LeaderSquadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
- September 1939: Officer Commanding of the Air Navigation and Reconnaissance School,Trenton
- December 1940: Promoted to Acting Wing CommanderWing Commander (rank)Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
- June 1941: OC of No. 2 ANS, Pennfield Ridge, New Brunswick
- May 1942: OC of No. 1 Central Navigation School, Rivers
- July 1942: Promoted to Acting Group CaptainGroup CaptainGroup captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
; appointed Commanding Officer, No. 1 General Reconnaissance School (GRS), Sunnyside, Prince Edward Island - January 1943: Promoted to Acting Air CommodoreAir CommodoreAir commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
; appointed Director of Training Plans and Requirements, AF HQ, Ottawa - April 1944: Posted to No. 6 (RCAF) Group Headquarters, Allerton Hall, Yorkshire, England, in the rank of Group Captain.
- June 1944: Appointed CO of RCAF Station Skipton-on-Swale
- 14 October 1944: Promoted to substantive Air Commodore; appointed CO of No. 61 Base, Topcliffe
- November 1944: CO, RCAF Base No. 76
- January 1945: Appointed CO of RCAF Base No. 63, Leeming, Yorkshire, England
- July 1945: Deputy Commander of RCAF Tiger Force (never established due to Japanese surrender on 15 August)
- Late 1945: Chief Staff Officer, Air Materiel Command
- June 1946: AOC, Air Materiel Command
- August 1948: US National War College
- September 1949: AFHQ, Air Member - Operations and Training
- September 1951: Appointed Vice Chief of the Air Staff (Air Vice-MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
) - 1954: Vice-Deputy Air, SHAPE
- 1955: Promoted to Air MarshalAir MarshalAir marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
- Appointed Deputy Minister of Defence
- 1957: Command Deputy Commander-in-Chief (DCINC), NORAD
- 1960: Chair, COSC
- 1 September 1961: Promoted to Air Chief MarshalAir Chief MarshalAir chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
- August 1964: Appointed first Chief of the Defence Staff
- 1966: Retired
External links
- Order of Canada Citation
- Frank Robert Miller at The Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...
- Ray Stouffer, "Air Chief Marshal Frank Miller - A Civilian and Military Leader" Canadian Military Journal, Vol 10. No. 2 (2008)
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