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Morley Lester Miller
Agency patch
Pilot

Morley Lester Miller

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service — Washington, DC
Accident
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch October 20, 1984
Age 52
Tour of Duty 22 yrs
Badge 104
The Vigil Panel 128 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 93

Incident

Pilot Morley Miller and Patrol Officer John Hollingsworth were killed in a helicopter accident approximately 1/2-mile west of Fort Stockton, Texas, while on a patrol flight at 12:11 pm. The helicopter was heading south from Fort Stockton when the helicopter started backfiring. Pilot Miller maneuvered the chopper over a field away from the manufacturing plant and people. He had gained control when the helicopter shot up in the air and then came straight down. The tail landed first and burst into flames. Two state troopers and a citizen tried to pull the officers out of the wreckage, but it was too late. Pilot Miller was credited with saving the lives of the plant workers. Pilot Miller had served in law enforcement for a total of 22 years. He had served with the U.S. Customs Service for ten years and had previously served with the U.S. Border Patrol for five years and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for seven years. He was survived by his wife, four children, and one grandchild. He was buried in the Desert Lawn Memorial Park in Palmdale, California.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, four children, and one grandchild.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

22 years. You could have gone home.
Pilot Miller gave the United States Department of the Treasury 22 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Pilot Miller.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service
Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdtuscsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 20, 1984
Tour of Duty 22 yrs
Age 52
Badge Number 104
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Morley is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1984, 82 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 23rd heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Morley was 52. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Morley had served 22 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

October holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Saturdays: 14.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service has 94 officers remembered here, Morley among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Pilot Morley Lester Miller

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service · End of Watch October 20, 1984

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 18-W

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