The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-02
Sergeant Praises Ike For
His Fairness And Spirit

! the chsrscte- az cry group Of
I United States troops, either white
I or co.ored. must be considered as
conduct prejudcial 10 good order
and military discipline and offend
crS must be promptly punished In
the interest - military efficiency.
+ Il for no otGcr reason, isolated IN
cidents Of friction must De elm
mated
SGT. Wood, then tod the Gen.
eral that INC article referred 10
was detrimental 10 the morale OF
q group of fighters who arc put
ting forth every cffo.t in their
power 10 pay their part as good
soldiers where they are assigned
TO perform their duty. regardless
Of whether Il be on the front lines
OF ~ the 'rear-cchelonS'."
Woods said such statements as
hose Of the sergeant who wrote
IN Stars and Stripes have been the
PRIME motives Of recent race riots
~ America. IT IS my sincere hope
that our full military strength may
90 continued directed against tho
Ge5HEsn forces. rather than stop 81
this point OF success and debate
on the issue which race Is play
M the more important part IN this
War he told the General.
Behind General
Concluding his letter, he told he
General. You nave ny sincere
prayers and best wishes that God
viii enable you 10 successfully
accomplish the task that has been
entrusted 10 you b. the people Of
the United States and the other
allied nations. Remember that We
are behind you 100 per cent
In reply. nine days later the
General wrote the sergeant saying
Thank you very much for your
letter OF the IAN ! agree with you
that the publication Of statements
that are deToEatory TO the ac-onp-
lishments IN this war Of any Amer
lean group or race harmful 10
the war effort ! also agree that il
IS the duty Of the good soldier 10
perform well whatever task may be
given HIM, IN the front line " in
the rear area.
General Answers
II am glad you invited my at
tention TO an article that apparent
ly was written IN disregard Of
these principles"
Commenting on the Generals
letter, Sgt. Woods declared that the
~ gh
that "our Supreme Allied Com
mander- in-Chief Of the European
Theatre Of Operation, General
Dwight D. Eisenhower is a military
officer, who pays as much atten-
ton to a commissioned officer
OF Negro Engineer General Serv-
ice Regiment as he does to the
members of his staff in certain re-
spects."
II should be added, however, that
the editor OF the Stars and Stripes,
in an editors note Immediately
following the article to which Sgt
Woods so bravely took exception,
said the following:
Editors Note
Prejudice knows no state or ma
tonal boundaries, Uncle Sans men
in the forces serve and fight where
they're told to.
The activity OF Negro troops in
this war includes landing with the
first U. S. assault forces to hit the
Normandy beaches on D-Day. Bar
rage-balloon men, port battalions.
Duck companies and qusrtermaster
truck units were in on the land
ings.
1.-TWO of these units were COM
mended by Gen. Eisenhower. One
Negro infantry division, the 93rd,
is at present in action on Bougain-
vile in the South Pacific. The Sec
ond Negro infantry division TO see
action in this war. the 92nd is in
there fighting right now in north
Italy. Negro airmen have made a
notable record in Italy (as well as
North Africa and Sicily. where the
Goth Pursuit Squadron and Col
Benjamin Davis fighter group have
been flying combat missions with
the 18th Air Force"