Ira E. McMillian

Ira Ellis McMillian (3 August 1908 – 22 April 1987), was a decorated commander during World War II who reached the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy.[2] McMillian was the Gunnery Officer on the USS Hull (DD-350) when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.[3]

Ira Ellis McMillian
Born	(1908-08-03)August 3, 1908 Prescott, Arkansas
Died	April 22, 1987(1987-04-22) (aged 78) California
Buried	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1930-1958
Rank	Rear Admiral
Commands held	USS Newcomb (DD-586) USS Magoffin (APA-199)[1]
Battles/wars	World War II • Pearl Harbor Korean War
Awards	Navy Cross Silver Star Legion of Merit Purple Heart
Alma mater	United States Naval Academy
Spouse(s)	Francys Ellen Goss

Captain McMillian was the president of the court-martial of Disbursing Clerk Seaman Jimmie L. Henderson, the last sailor to be sentenced to death for murder. Seaman Henderson was sentenced for the murder of a commissioned officer aboard the USS Uvalde (AKA-88).[4] The sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment by President John F. Kennedy.[5] "This is the only known death sentence to be awarded by a naval service court-martial and affirmed on appeal through the U.S. Court of Military Appeals since the enactment of the UCMJ."[6]

Admiral McMillian had proposed to Richard Nixon in August 1970 that he could possibly bring the Vietnam War to an end though his personal contact with Lê Duẩn. McMillian then claimed that he was kidnapped and taken to Bethesda Naval Hospital and held there incommunicado for four weeks.[7] Admiral McMillian was named the plaintiff in a class action lawsuit against Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon, claiming "[that they] and others conspired to kidnap an admiral because he knew of a way to end the Vietnam war two years before Nixon did."[8][9]