The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1944-07-29
Negro Artillerymen In France
Blast Maxi Super Race Theories
"Stars and Stripes" Tells Story
Of Negro Combat Unit In France
(From the STARS and Stripes"O

AUS. Artillery command Post,
France = Showing utter contempt
for master race" divisions facing
them, US. Negro artillerymen, fir
ing 155-mm howitzers, are blazing
German installations and troop con-
centrations, pounding to pieces the
Nazi theory of inferior" and ''su-
perior" races.
First Negro combat artillery team
to fight in this sector, this outfit
is the howitzer member of four
unit artillery group that includes
a battalion of loss and two 1885,
nm. Long Toms.
They make music horrible to
enemy ears, but to US. doughboys
of the infantry division being di-
rectly supported by their fire it is
the sweetest song this side.
A few weeks ago these were the
kids who enlivened English Will
ages when they swung cadence
drill on training hikes to the tune
of "Whatcha Know Joe?" Now,
when these cannoneers join in a
group "serenade" the rhythm is not
as regular, but Yanks in observa-
ton posts on the line report that
the ferries are dancing to it. Re-
suits: shattered tanks, wrecked
S8s, smashed Notifications, dead
Germans
Its a hell of a different tune"
observed Technician Fifth Grade
Joe Hodge, a survey section man
from Detroit, land we know those
Germans up there don't like it
bit"
The battalion's uniqueness far
transcendS the fact that it's Negro
combat unit. It's firing record, ac-
curacy and output are acclaimed
from corps artillery headquarters
to the foxhole-pitted ridges of
Hill 122 where muddy infantrymen
fight.
A fabulous amount of intricate
MISUNDERSTANDING and COM
putting - precedes the sending of
fire directions to the individual bat
teries Armed with this data, COM
puters Staff Sergeant Lawrence E.
Innis, of New York City; Pvt. Van
Q. White, of East Orange, N. j.;
Pvt Otis B. Walker, of Passaic, N.
j.; and Technician Fifth Grade c.
A. Petersen, of Plainfield, N. j.;
went to work with their graphical
firning tables (slide rules to non
artillery folks and quickly made
their calculations.
A little later the guns spoke their
thunderous language, and the Ger
mans miles away caught it mean
ing. The end of the mission came
when the number one man of the
10-man crew pulled the lanyard
and the battery computer at batal-
ion called out Charlie on the way
Soon it all comes down to where
IL Joes in the unit, known as
number one men, pull down anc
out on their lanyards, sending the
projectiles screaming through
space. Very important Joes, these
number one men. BY yanking or
their cords, primers set off the
powder charges which force the
shells on the long trip to the tar
get They receive the biggest par
of the conclusion.
To number one man Pfc. Arthu,
Broadnax, of Autaugaville, Ala
went the honor of pulling the Ian
yard fer the first round fired b.
Negro Artillery against the Ger
mans. Number one men seldom g
beyond private first class, but lool
upon lHGlI JODS Will iA4AAiSAAo
pried. One number one man il
Baker Battery, Pfc. Robert Lee
from Montgomery, Ala, refused
chance to become a gunner and g
up in rank.
Il want to pull that lanyard an
watch the shells 60 off, was HI
explanation. Other lanyard puller
in the outfit: Pvt. Horace Jacob, @
Kaylan, La; Pvt. T. ]. Deramus, c
Montgomery, Ala; Pvt Grady Clay
of Tatum, Tex; Pvt. Eddie j. Lynn
of Edwards, Mass; Pfc. Tom Thorn
as, of Stamford, Conn; Pfc. Will
Cannon, of Columbus, Ga; Pfc. Ac
am Tinnell, of Waxahachie, Tex
Pfc. John Trim, of Batesville, Miss
Pfc. Jim Leatherwood, of Tupel
Miss; and Pvt. John Battle, {
Wadley, Ala
1t. Col H. S. Kelsey, the unit
commander, knows artillery, hay
ing been an artillery officer sine
1918. OF his Negro cannoneers h
says proudly: I'll put them again
any artilleryoutfit over here