C. Miller

"I've seen things, that no training can prepare you for... I look at the faces around me, and I know that nobody expected anything like this."

- Private Miller

Private C. Miller (Joe Miller in Final Fronts) was a United States Marine that served in World War II in the Pacific theater. He is one of the three playable characters in the Call of Duty: World at War campaign.

Biography
Private Miller is first seen in on Makin Atoll in a Japanese base. Prior to that, Miller was part of a Marine Raider team that landed on Makin Island and was captured by Japanese forces and brought to the Japanese base. Miller witnesses fellow Marine Private Pyle have his throat slit by a boot knife after he spit in a Japanese Officer's face. Before the Japanese can execute Miller, he is rescued by Corporal Roebuck, Sergeant Sullivan and other Marine Raiders when Roebuck impales Miller's assailant in the back with his knife and Sullivan strangles the Japanese officer. Miller and the Marines damage the Japanese forces stationed there and move to the extraction point. However, Miller is knocked to the ground by and explosion and is attacked by a Katana-wielding Japanese soldier but is saved by Sullivan and is dragged onto a boat.

Two years later, Miller, Sullivan, Roebuck, teen-recruit Polonsky and elements of the 1st Marine Division storm the white beach of Peleliu Island to make way for Allied forces. However, in the final stage of taking the beach defenses, Sullivan is killed by a Banzai charger and Roebuck is promoted to Sergeant. Miller and the Marines then secure Peleliu Airfield and crush the remaining Japanese forces. Seven months later, Roebuck, Polonsky, and Miller take part in the invasion of Okinawa, the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War. Despite being low on supplies, Miller and his squad decimate the Japanese forces at Wana Ridge. Then the 1st Marine division storms Shuri Castle, the last Japanese stronghold on the island. Late in the battle, Miller's squad comes across Japanese soldiers attempting to surrender. It turns out to be a clever trick when they assault Roebuck and Polonsky who were trying to secure them (the player could choose to save either Roebuck or Polonsky). After saving Polonsky/Roebuck, Miller and the remaining Marines are engaged by numerous Japanese forces. Miller and his team are saved when the Japanese are assaulted by an U.S. fighter plane and are defeated. After the battle, either Roebuck or Polonsky hands Miller the other's dogtags, and Roebuck's voice can be heard in the background, saying that they could all go home.

Trivia

 * Although it seems strange that in the two years between the first and second mission Miller is never promoted in rank, many Marines served the entire war and were discharged as Privates or Privates 1st Class. It is possible that he was in fact promoted only to later be demoted due to a disciplinary infraction, though this seems unlikely. Alternately, Marine administrative units were sometimes hard-pressed to keep up with fast moving front line troop who were constantly on the move. It may be that he would in fact have been promoted once he was rotated back to a rear echelon area.
 * Miller, Sullivan and Roebuck are called the old bunch but they are still in their twentys.
 * Miller has an impressive kill count, including the destruction of at least three to five tanks and the killing of over two hundred Japanese soldiers. It is also noteworthy that he can handle almost every weapon correctly (although this is up to the actions and skill of the player).
 * During the original Call of Duty: World at War release trailer, you hear an unidentified Marine's voice speaking alongside a Japanese soldier. Since you do not hear that Marine's voice anywhere in the campaign, it can be assumed that it is the voice of Private Miller.
 * In the PlayStation 2 version of the game, Miller's first name is "Joe".
 * Miller may have possibly been named after the game's special effects artist, as the Call of Duty developer teams have been known to include such allusions.
 * In Call of Duty: World at War for the Nintendo DS, a recurring character in some missions is named 'PVT MILLER'. He may possibly be a reference to the console and PC versions of the game.
 * In Call of Duty: World at War Final Fronts, Miller serves in the 2nd Marine Division, rather than the 1st Marine Division.
 * Notice the picture looks a little bit like Tom Hanks, who played the role of Captain John H. Miller in Saving Private Ryan.
 * In Modern Warfare 2 during the Mission "The only easy day was Yesterday" while Roach is being transported via Helicopter there is a Helicopter flying opposite with a solider named Pvt.Millar.