Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1945-03-31
Resents SIurs
OF gid Division
Against Action
High Praise Is
Given Artillery
Unit In Pacific


whatsoever to do with a mans
ability to fight" General Mac
Arthur told Walter White when he
conferred recently with the New
York Post war correspondent in
the Philippines.
ANY man who says that another
mans fighting ability can be mea-
sured by color is wrong. I learned
that" declared the General OBJ
viously provoked at the persistent
rumors discrediting combat per-
formanceS of the 93rd Infantry Di-
vision, Sin serving as a junior off,
Ger with the famous 25th Regi-
ment. One of the greatest armies
| have ever COMMANDED was Fill
pinO one"
that recent developments in the
attempt on the part of certain per-
sons to brand Negro combat troops
as failures and towards, may back
fire." After a ten-day investigation
of rumors that publicized 93rd Di-
vision had been broken into port
battalions and other labor units
because its reported" cowardice
at Bougainville resulted in heavy
casualties in the white division next
to it, Mr.. White said.
NOT ON BEACHHEAD
+ I'm the first place the 93rd has
never been assigned as yet any
beachhead action anywhere. The
assault on Bougainville took place
late in November and early in De-
cember in 1913. The 93rd was not
ordered to Bougainville until the
following April Even japanese air
activity over the beach had by then
been stopped to such an extent
that movies were being shown on
the beach. There were still then
and now many japanese troops on
the island as recent communicates
reveal but the enemy had been
driven back into the interior.
Thus the 93rd did not fail in
beachhead action since it never
participated in one nor did any
other color of soldier or officer re-
ceive pin scratch because of the
93rd The division did not run any
where because there was no need
to run. Incidentally none Of the
stories told against the Negro divi-
sion take into account the fact that
when troops land on beach there
is no place for them to run except
back into the ocean.
PRAISE ARTILLERY
Instead Of failing in the assign
ments given it the 25th Combat
Team Of the 93rd Division, roughly
one-third of the division, which
was the only part given combat
duties. performed in such credit
able fashion as to elicit high praise
from officers and enlisted person
mel Of the Americal and 37th Divi-
1.-THE End Battalion of the 25th
Combat Team of the 93rd was as
signed to take three days after ar
rival in Bougainville a strongly
fortified Japanese position of five
concrete pill boxes. 1t did its job
with such efficiency and prompt
ness as to cause Brigadier General
Leonard r. Boyd to declare that
the End Battalion's accomplishment
was 'commendable even for vet
eran outfit, outstanding for a unit
in its first action"
The only incident revealed in the
Army record which could possibly
come under the heading of criti-
cism is the fact brought out in Mr.
Whites report on the disorganiza-
ton which followed a directive
given by white company com
mander who ordered his three Ne
gro lieutenants to "deploy thei'
men around the inside of the horse
shoe" When the officer assigned tc
the furthermost point with fifteer
men found themselves outnumber-
ed and surrounded he asked in
structions by radio of his company
commander and was told to dig in
and remain there 1.-The officer"
says White, Lieutenant Oscar T.
Davenport of st Louis, Mo-, and
eleven of his fifteen men were kill
ed. Disorganization followed as the
company commander led the retreat
to the command post in the rear"
NEW COMMANDER
A better day for the 93rd is fore
cast in the appointment of Major
General Harry H. johnson, new
Commanding general responsible
for the units combat efficiency. He
is doing everything possible" stat
ed Mr.. White, ito stop the practice
of assignment to the 93rd of white
officers who are prejudiced against
Negroes or who failed in other di-
visions. He opposed promotion of
such men over competent Officers
already in the division, especially
colored officers.
THE 93rd is General Johnson's