The guardian., 1941-07-05
.
FORT BENNITNG
ON
PARADE
By Chaplain Luther Marion Fuller

by Chaplam Luther Marion Fuller
FORT BENNING, Georgia
Here we are writing from the red
hills of the Peach State of Georgia,
The immediate spot is Fort Benning.
one of the largest, finest and most
beautiful camps in the entire country.
The sun shines brightly but it is usn-
ally more than 100 in the shade. A
cool Boston east wind would be greatly
appreciated.
There are about 10000 officers and
men at Fort Benning, of which more
than 5000 are colored. On our arrival
here, after riding all night on a day
coach from Atlanta, though tired and
sleepy, our first duty was to attend the
graduation exercises of the 24th In
fantry Children's School which pre-
sented "a Patriotic Pageant, American
Youth Salutes the Flag" 1t was most
inspiring to see little children from
four years of age upward, with patrio-
tic zeal, singing patriotic songs, salut-
ing the American Flag, being taught
to love their country, and having the
words instilled in them: ''I am Glad to
be an American"
Our next assignment was to attend
banquet given in honor of the TO-
000th colored selective service trainee
to enter camp. Pvt. Knowles of Miami,
Florida. Senior Chaplain Louis ].
Beasley, master of ceremonies, rem
dered an excellent program. Our third
assignment was very sad one, which
was to attend the funeral of a soldier
who drowned while trying to swim.
Thus our training work began as soon
as we arrived at Ft. Benning.
OF the three thousand or more col
ored soldiers at Ft. Benning, only three
officers are colored and each one is a
Chaplain in his own right. The Senior
Chaplain, Louis ]. Beasley, a Congre-
gational minister, is a most inspiring
and efficient leader. Chaplain Frierson,
a Methodist minister, very efficient
officer, kindly disposed and very ac-
commodating, recently assigned to his
post, is ingratiating himself into the
hearts of the soldiers and officers at
Camp Benning. Your humble servant
and scribe, a Baptist minister, has
gotten away to flying start.
The hospitality of the citizens of the
Peach State is marvellous. No one is
stranger to the other. From authori-
tative sources we have learned that
there are only three colored Commits
stoned Officers in the entire State of
Georgia, and all are Chaplains at Fort
Benning. A colored Chaplain in
Georgia is somewhat of a strange
phenomenon. The people seem to re-
gard him as strange mixture ranging
from a moderate form of an idealized
personality to moderate form of
holy and superior being. The colored
chaplain is a big man in the eyes of
the public in the Peach State, and no
one has greater opportunity to do
great service for God and humanity
than he. He is somewhat like a physi-
clan in that he can have no special
lhOurs. His work usually begins at
am, and often ends at 1 am. Some
times he doesn't have time to eat his
meals. He has problems to adjust all
the way from looking after the religi-
Gus and social welfare of an entire
regiment down to settling minor dis
pute between a soldier and his best
girl friend. So the Chaplain's position
is one of great Importance; his services
are always solicited outside of his post
to speak on various occasions.
The records (Army) reveal that the
oath Infantry was organized seventy
two years ago and has been noted for
it's ability to endure great hardships
with cheerful hearts. It's Regimental
Insignia is symbol of glorious past.
1t commentaries the gallant services
of the colored soldiers in the Santiago
Campaign of 1898, and in particular,
the Battle of San Juan Hill under
Theodore Roosevelt, Sr., in whose cap
ture the Twenty-fourth figured so
prominently. The members of the
Twenty-fourth are proud colored sol
diers, and the wearing of the Regimen
tai Insignia, along with what it silently
suggests, keeps their pride ever grow
ing. Every soldier is ready to "stand
or fall at his country's call"
FORT BENNING, Ga, July1 On
this hot summer day in July after a
hard days work, when the lengthening
shadows are reaching across the dry hill
sides of this north Georgia county, we
find ourselves once again going on the
Camp Benning Parade, and taking our
pen in hand to infrom the world of
just what is going on at Camp Ben
ming. The shadows are being swallowed
up in the mantle Of night and the SCARS
are beginning to come as sentinels to
guide the stiffness of the sleeping hours.
What a fine and opportune time to
write about the well-disciplined and