The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-04-29
UN-COvERINe
Washington

Tbet Story released by the War
Dspotsn66nt Bureau of Public Rela-
kions lssk week about the Negro
Ezxnner on q Flying Fortress. wao
was killed in action with the rest
OF his crew, all white, last April
a year Ago--has the War Depart
ment, and particularly the air
forces, fouled UP q tree.
II recalls to mind the phoney case
Of Pvt Lonnie George Morehead,
who came back from the Pacific
about year ago with heroic tale
OF his exploits as the only Negro
member OF q crew on a B-24 Lib
srator bomber.
II turned out that Lonnie was
lying. He had not been a member
pf such crew: he was not injured,
as he claimed. In the service, but
was given q medical discharge for
n kidney ailment contracted before
he went into the army; he was not a
staff sergeant, though he sported the
stripes; and he had not been award
ed the ribbons and medals he wore
on his chest.
There have been, of course, lot
o. LonnieS. Most of them have been
white. They invent stories Of hero
ISM to impress their families and
-8ri1nds, and TO initiate their own
6gos. B0t what ] remember 50 dis
tinctiy about Lonnie's case was the
vehement insistence of the War De-
partment that no Negroes had ever
served in the crew OF one OF the
big bombers. Some OF the officers
xeemed TO brag about that fact.
They belittled the Negro press for
falling for so obviously false a
story"
Well, the faces OF those same Of
hcers are a cherry red now! This
release from the Bureau OF Public
Relations slipped by the brass
hated. blue pencil wielderS and
went out, officially announcing the
posthumous award Of the arr medal
10 Technical Sergeant William G.
Ciears, a gunner on a Flying For.
Aress. The medal was presented 10
his mother in Greensboro, n. C., and
pictures show her 20 be distinctly
colored. Nonnie, incidentally. was
arom North Carolina, too-Blsck
NountainD
=. Despite the completion OF FIVE
missions xS aerfal gunner and shoot
tng down an enemy Messerschmltt
1l0 in the Mediterranean theatre.
the army air forces in Washington
disclsimed any knowledge OF Sgt.
Mears' status as gunner.
We have never sent Negro
eerial gunner overseas" they told
me last week. we have no record
al colored boys on Flying Fortress.
ii may be that the boy was in the
MAR theatre and was used asa gun
ner after showing some talent Tor
such an assignment That's the only
solution We can see tAnd listen
20 thisD But ne must have been
sent over on some lesser assignment
Ut would have 10 have been an act OF
abe theatre commander, who was
probably short ~ men and used
whoever had talent for the job"
So, the shoe is on the other foot
now. The Negro press doesn't APP
pear 10 have been so stupid" after
ell. Sgt. Mears probably was in the
cir shooting al enemy planes at the
very moment certain officers here
were sneerins. And certainly that
theatre commander at the battle
front was far less stupid than a LOT
of people who set and condone the
armys jimcrow policy from the ga
haven of their desks in the Penta-
Eon Building at the War Depart
fnent in Washington. He tut win.
ming the war-with available talent
regardless OF its color-ahead OF
white supremacy" and preiudices.