The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-01-22
COVER
The Town
By John WOOD
NEWS ACROSS THE SEA


war front a company If soldiers,
among then many Det offers who
are helping to write glorious pages
in the history of World War III. are
waiting anxiously for the silver
lining behind the clouds OF smoke
from bursting shells; waiting to
hear the only cry that is heard
! above the shrieks Of agony from
wounded soldiers: waiting for the
mail man." their only link between
the theatres of war and the folk
back home.
ACROSS THE FIELD. ploughing
through hub-high mud. jeep.-or
maybe its a motorcycle with side
car-loaded with belated letters and
packages and papers from the Land
OF the Free where every soldier
longs 10 return, winds its way
through wrecked equipment. barely
missing the bodies Of wrecked hui
man beings, approaches the COM
pany and comes TO a halt. The
driver is the most welcomed"
member Of the American forces in
Europe. The moment his vehicle
is brought to a stop ii is surrounded
by men who. for the moment, have
forgotten the dangers Of battle. men
holding their hands high and crying
here" when their names are called.
IN THIS GROUP are Staff Ser
geant James l.. Bowman and First
Sergeant William Monjoy of Brush
street; Corporal Jessie Hoover and
Private &c Robert Carroll OF Alger
street: Sergeant Charles Glover.
former member of the Flying
Clouds Quartet and once a director
OF the Alpha and Omega Chorus
and the Bethel Singers: Master Ser
geant johnson Clark who recently
distinguished himself and his outfit
by manning a machine and helping
to shoot down two Nazi's planes.
With them are many other De-
troiters who are cheered by the
news from home.
MAYBE EACH RECEIVES a long
awaited letter or package or news
paper. Then maybe only one of the
Detroiters gets letter from the old
home town, but he shares its con-
tents with his buddies who resign
themselves to waiting for the next
call. Someone shows a Michigan
Chronicle and the small group OF
Detroiters separate from the rest
OF the company. What had not been
clipped by the censor. the soldiers
read with an enjoyment that only
a soldier thousands OF miles from
home, and who may never live To
read another message from his
loved ones, can enjoy Even the
club news, accounts OF parties are
read rellgiously. On this page is
picture Of serviceman being
entertained. On that page. a SOL
der has been given party On
still another page they see pictures
OF servicemen who so far have not
been called 10 the front. dancing
with USO hosteSSes. And looking
through their hometown paper,
these men. who have had their bap-
tiSm of fire. wonder why their is
no news OF the part they are play
ing in this war.
AT LEAST THAT Is what one
reads between the lines OF V-mail
letter from Sergeant Glover, who
writes: After reading your news-
paper for long time, and being
native Detroter I know for a fact
that our outfit has been neglected
~ Ati 90 PbOAANiNy ~ NOIiNtlllCd,
even while we were in the states.
Overseas. we were the first Anti
aircraft unit in North Africa and
England, and now in Italy. We have
gone through the bells Of more than
one battle and are now furnishing
antl-aircraft protection for (cen-
sored) in Italy. and the boys are
doing a fine job
WE MEN OF Detroit think that
We have a great outfit and our Of
ficers and Commanding Officer. 1t
Col. George Pierce. also thinks we
are OK. We have been called
crack troops" and we think that
great compliment to any Negro
outfit and we're proud Of the rec
ord we're making We like the
news from home even il il Is a
little late. but we want the folk
back home TO know we are really
doing our part for our Race and
Nation.
WE WANT YOU TO print some
OF this letter so that the people
back home will know what their
Race is doing on the war front all
over the world We can't be there
To go 10 the parties OF attend all
the dances and entertain the ladies,
but out here we are doing our part
TO make il possible for those back
home to continue TO have parties
and enjoy life as we may never
enjoy it again. Give my best re-
CARDS to William l.. Sheriff. and
the boys left in the Flying Clouds
Quartet. May God bless you" A
citizen Of Detroit, Sergeant Charles
Glover.
OUR ONLY REGRET is that we
don't know how 10 answer Sergeant
Glover's letter. We share his be-
lief that there should and MUST
be more news Of the part our boys
are playing in this war. But since
all news of war activity must be
cleared through War Department
publicity channels, we seem to be
at the mercy OF those who refuse
to let the people know that our
boys. too, are fighting this war.
Until the policy is changed. there
will be more letters from fellows
like Sergeant Glover who feel that
their Race is being ignored by the
War Department. In the mean
time widespread pressure should
be brought TO bear on the War De-
partment by civilians who can help
the newspapers which have become
chronic complainants OF the treat
rment Of our boys who ask no more
than that their people back home
be given a complete picture Of the
Job they are doing on the battle
fronts.
YOU CAN HELP change this
policy by flooding your local news
papers. both daily and weekly. with
demands for more news Of Negro
troops sailors. marines and flyers
Not only do we want to know all
about the part our boys are play,
ing, but we want others TO know
that Negroes who are demanding
on the home front are backed up
by loved ones risking their lives
in various theatres OF war. Get that
letter out TO the newspapers today: