A bronze sculpture of Doris Miller, a World War II hero, was unveiled Thursday afternoon in Waco.
The ceremony, organized by the Cultural Arts of Waco, included crew members from the USS Miller DE 1091.
"Doris Miller is a real hero. He was a hero at the time. He did extraordinary things," Jerry Powell, a Baylor Law Professor and a leader of the project. "It wasn't his job to grab a machine gun and man the ship, and he did that. He went above and beyond the call of duty."
The 9-foot bronze sculpture of Doris Miller will sit near the Doris Miller Memorial, which is currently under construction, along the Brazos River.
"The shivers didn't come just from the [cold] weather. It is an amazing statue from an amazing artist. I just can't wait to come visit it every chance I get," Michael Yarnall, who was on the USS Miller from 1987 to 1990, said.
About 100 people attended the ceremony on Thursday, including members of Doris Miller's family.
Henrietta Miller-Bledsoe said the sculpture is an important piece of art for the family.
"I had goosebumps. This has been a long time waiting. Even though there's been a lot of recognition over the states, but to have it in his hometown. It's awesome to have this years later," Miller-Bledsoe said.
Cultural Arts of Waco is still raising money to complete the memorial. They still need $600,000. If you would like to donate, click here.
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