Published Wednesday, July 3, 2002
By Joe Pinchot
Herald Staff Writer
Stoneboro Mayor Fred Houser described the tone around town as "somber and subdued" when word came that one of its most storied former residents had died.
"That was a real shock yesterday morning when the news broke here," Houser said of the death of 2nd Lt. Zachariah R. Miller, 22.
Miller was found dead at 8 p.m. Monday while participating in a training exercise at Fort Benning, Ga.
Fort spokeswoman Monica Manganaro said an autopsy was to be performed today. No cause of death has been determined, but foul play is not suspected, she said. His body showed no physical trauma.
Houser said there has been some confusion around town about how Miller died. Some people have assumed that because Miller was in pre-Ranger training, he had died in a friendly fire accident or some other unfortunate incident.
Miller was participating in a land navigation training exercise with the 75th Ranger Regiment Training Detachment, Ms. Manganaro said.
The course began at 9:30 a.m. Monday and Miller was last seen alive at 1:30 p.m., according to the Ledger Enquirer of Columbus, Ga., which staffed a press conference Tuesday at Fort Benning.
A search party was sent out when he failed to meet a four-hour deadline of contacting training cadre.
Miller had completed the course, a solo event, twice before and had had 12 hours of sleep and breakfast before the course began. He showed no signs of distress or physical concern, Fort Benning commander Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton said at the press conference.
The soldier uses a compass to navigate in woods for the course, which is not considered particularly rigorous, Ms. Manganaro said.
Miller was a day away from completing the three-week pre-Ranger training, which is designed to develop self-confidence and teamwork skills, and emphasizes planning and small-unit patrols.
Miller graduated last month from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., a month to the day before he died. He received his diploma from President Bush.
Miller was recently named a Rhodes Scholar and was set to head to England in October for two years of study at Oxford University.
"This town has never had a Rhodes Scholar before," Houser said.
Houser said he knew Miller, the 1998 Lakeview High School valedictorian, peripherally, from taking photographs of Lakeview athletic events.
Houser said he also gave a slide presentation on South Africa for an advanced English class at Lakeview which included Miller.
He recalled that Miller asked lots of questions.
"He was a very alert young man," Houser said.
Dr. Paulette Savolskis, Lakeview schools superintendent, said Miller was a role model for the community.
"He was just one of the best," Ms. Savolskis said. "He represented the Lakeview area so well."
"I recall that he was always very committed to anything he took on," she said, calling it a trait that she first noticed when he was in middle school. "He was the kind of young man who would set goals for himself and did whatever needed done to reach those goals."
Miller's father, Keith, a sixth-grade teacher at Lakeview, kept everyone informed of Miller's post-high school progress.
"He was doing what he wanted to do and knew that he could make a difference doing it," Miller said. "He could see around the corners and see what was coming and how to fix it."
Miller was nominated for West Point by U.S. Rep. Phil English, R-21st District, Erie. At meetings with English and his staff, Miller showed "charisma and sincerity," English said.
"His was a character of integrity and honesty."
You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Joe Pinchot at jpinchot@sharon-herald.com