The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-03-18
Negro Combat Units Moved Into
South Pacific Advance Base

present trend toward combat rather
than general service troops Is in
dicative of the expected move. High
military authorities remain silent
and future plans are clothed in mill
tary secrecy.
For nearly two years thousands
OF Negro troops have poured into
the South and Southwest Pacific.
The nature OF their mission has been
such that few have been in the
close perimeter OF combat. These
units have Handicapped on the
heels OF battle building and secur-
ing captured bases Light casual
ties have been suffered. but very
few OF these men have seen the
enemy afoot The casualties were
the results Of aerial warfare.
Handling Supplies
A large percentage OF these units
have also been used in the handling
OF supplies. Guadalcanal, the gro
Gerry store" for our advance South
Pacific holdings has large numbers
Of Negroes unloading merchant
ships and reloading smaller cargo
vessels for trips northward.
Other missions. air-base security.
aviation engineer, aviation quarter
master. and ordnance. have been far
/ behind the lines Except in the case
OF airbaSe security. Drawn more
! than technical skills has been the
requirement However. Army rec
ords admit that while this has been
the mission authorities are not blind
TO is Importance in whatever gains
are made in combat.
Now with the arrival OF forces oil
combat a tactical phase OF war
might be presented.
Want Battle
II has been observed in converse
ton with the new troops that thoss
questioned express the desire TO e
into battle. Morale Is high. sur
prisingly high. One would think i
borders on cockiness. but CONVEX
sation shows il TO be an over-anx
iousness Months OF hard trainins
and knowledge Of weapons hav,
made them into what seems yer,
tough and schooled soldiers. The
intolerable heat and dust hsv,
failed 10 thwart a boyish enthusiasm
for things 10 come.
Observing these troops a veteran
OF the Munda campaign pointed on
that while enthusiasm is an ad
mirable trait in the soldiers. anc
the knowledge OF weapons Is essen
tial, much more is required. Jungl,
warfare presents problems anc
while our forces realize success
manv casualties are the result o
not being able 10 discern gun posi-
tons because OF thick foliage anC
impenetrable underbrush. Troop
unframed in jungle tactics are sub
jet 10 sudden death.
II has been an Army procedUr,
to subject combat troops TO inten
sive training over here. A train
ing period which might reQuir
several months II is based on tn
urgent need.
These forces arrived on the heel
OF General NacArthur's Statement
for publication in which he ex
planned that ground troops are al
essential part OF American militar
strategy. Complete victory mean
the wholesale usage OF foot soldier,
Reports indicate that the struggl
from this point on Is expected {
he more intense. We are enterin
, the cnemy's inner defenses
In the Rabaul region there
/, thought 10 be as many as severe
enemy divisions. or $4,000 troops
: this baStion is attacked. infantr,
|. artillery and air power are expecte
, 70 be used Such an attack migi
inaugurate the Negroes entrance 8
a tactical force into South Pacif
war