The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1942-02-14

hhhti otopN - SUNNI
Remember Pearl Hsrbor" when
Japan stabbed US in the back &C..
Uncle Sam Needs You" goin the
Us. Marines) Blood Donors
Needed Negro blood not accepted
officials say and the following
newspaper item:
Killed In Action
Killed in action Lieutenant
Louis Edwards Was slain during
activity above the call OF duty in
the siege of a strategic point on the
Haws. ian Island defenses. Close kin
Will be notified il located" seem
unrelated TO each ether Yet behind
these slogans and news items is the
story Of hero who'll never die.
Beaten back into fox holes by an
overwhelming japanese offensive. a
band Of grimy faced, war weary
and fa,igued Allied soldiers dug
in deeper behind their hastily con-
strucied front line trench, ready to
Go or die as they awaited the next
attack by the cunning Japs
In tbs small. Weary band ol
Americans soldiers, there was one
who would someday become a hero
who'd never die. His name was
Louis Edwards He was a lieutenant
N The company, facing me expected
Jap advance.
A Soldier Reflects On His Past
Tail, well built, brown haired. but
gray eyed and fair skinned. Lieu
tenant Edwards looked like his
fellow soldiers IN outward appear
ance He was both one Of them and
still not one Of them. But he alone
knew this difference between him
self and The other two white officers
nuddled nearby in the fox hole.
+ In moments Of lull Ike this when
the pressure OF fierce fighting was
iesSened.- Lieutenant Edward.
couldn't help but reflect on himself
his uu,oyed mother back in tbs
South and Of his people in The
States.
1t was immeasurable relief for
him to dwell on those days at home
in the States. DAYS OF comfortable
living days Of basking in tine warm
sunshine OF those whom nee
learned 70 cali friends and OF all
those things symbolized as the great
American way Of life
Whenever he allowed his thought,
to dwell on happier days he always
smiled to himself Looking aroun1
It's his fellow officers. Lieutenant
Edwards smiled and chuckled III
they only knew about ne. What
would they do with me? Probably
toss me 20 the laps" he smiled
While Awaiting a Jap Attack
But Lieutenant Edwards knew
that IL they did find him out they
couldn't court martial him. so hi
was safe on that point.
He now stood calm, quiet anc
collected as he peered cautiously
over the trench. Anytime now tht
Jsps might show up again anc
tthere'd be heilapoppin For reason.
geSt known 70 himself Lieutenan
Edwards continued TO think of thost
bygone days before World Wal
number two.
He now.recslled and remembered
PLACES. events and things which
stood out-in bold relief in his 26
year-oId life.
He thought Of that small southern
town in which he had been born
the only child of mismsted parents
who'd separated soon after he wa!
born He knew that the difference!
between his parents had played ar
important part in his life
Saw Negro Lynched in South
Louis Edwards also recalled les
pleasant things associated with hi!
home town. such as the stencil .
burning human flesh in the darI
Of light on lonely farmers LAM
when a Negro youth accused o
L Hsl4E " lA4At " 0AlAdlA ildo ~
iyncned by a mob OF whites.
It was on that night that Louis
Edwards made firm resolve which
mad finally brought him INTO hi
army where he now faced the JsI
advance He had never forgotten
MS determined conviction to some
day right, as best he could. III,
wrongs perpe.ra;ed by the msjori'!
group against the minority group.
] He knew that he had one oil
advantage in the fight he had under
taken It was his color. Throlghon
his school days when he'd beef
forced to accept unequal sccommo
dations in the school system. AMI
when he first realized the setul
against persons OF color. Louis Ed
wards had dedicated his life toward
correcting this evil.
Then when he was 10 years oil
Louis had slipped away from home
fully resolved 10 do something con
structive about the race question