He led the 442nd in its rescue of the Lost Texas Battalion of the 36th Infantry Division, in the forests of the Vosges Mountains in northeastern France.

In 1920, he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point from Arthur Yager (1858–1941), who served as Governor of Puerto Rico from 1913 to 1921.

In October 1944, the 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry of the 36th Division, made a push down a long heavily wooded ridge that extended southeast and dominated the valley of Bruyeres, France from Biffontaine to La Houssiere.

Company: Commanding Officer Regiment: 442d Regimental Combat Team Division: 92d Infantry Division The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Colonel (Infantry), [then Lieutenant Colonel] Virgil Rasmuss Miller (ASN: 0-15487), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while Commanding the 442d Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 92d Infantry Division, on 29 October and 7 November 1944, in France, and on 10 April 1945, in Italy.

When his troops were halted by a large enemy force defending well dug in positions on a strategic hill in the combat team's four-day battle to rescue the "Lost Battalion," Colonel Miller exposed himself to the hazards of intense artillery, mortar, and small arms fire to personally direct the assault of his companies.

On 7 November 1944 in the vicinity of La Croisette, France, when the enemy infiltrated in strength and threatened the entire flank of a battalion, he proceeded to one of the company areas and directed a skillful maneuver which prevented the encirclement of a friendly battalion, Again on 10 April 1945 in the vicinity of Massa, Italy, Colonel Miller proceeded to a company operating on the rearward slope of Cle Tecchione, under concentrated shelling from hostile coastal guns and mortars.

Colonel Miller's complete disregard for personal safety in repeatedly exposing himself to the hazards of hostile fire in his desire to obtain maximum coordination between the different elements of his command was a constant source of inspiration to the officers and men of his organization and reflects high credit on the traditions of the United States Army.

[7] In April 1945, the 442nd RCT came to the aid of the 92nd Infantry Division and spearheaded a diversionary assault on the western sector of the Gothic Line on the Peninsula Base Section Staging Area at Pisa, Italy.

Field Marshal Albert Kesselring had directed the construction of fortifications, drilled out of solid rock and reinforced with concrete, in the rugged mountains of the Apennines.

On April 5, 1945, Col Miller, and 3rd Battalion Commander, LtCol Alfred A. Pursall planned a pincers attack at dawn with the surprise element of an all-night climb of a 3,000-foot (910 m) mountain face in the dark with full fighting gear, to get in position for an assault.

At the dawn of April 6, Miller's men proceeded on their advance, however the explosions of land mines alerted the Germans and a fierce battle followed.