The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-06
OPPOSITION TO
PROPOSED PLAN
OF ARMY RISES

Slbipl W lHS plopoSeu AIUN Ar
Force plan 10 establish com
poslte group of Negro oombers
and fighters as segregated unit
Al the Tuskesee Air Field vas
voiced this week IN Secretary OF
War Robert p Patterson. by the
NAACP.
The associations stand is based
upon three points. Walter White,
secretary, informed the Secretary
Of War.
"D WE ARE unalterably op-
posed 10 segregation IN the post
var air force q: army. The United
States has An excellent example
OF successful migration IN the
experience Of the 332nd Fighter
Group. and particularly OF the 99th
Pursuit Squadron in North Africa
and Italy which served without
friction or difficulty with white
fighters. many of them from the
Deep South.
"t2i The racial atmosphere OF
Alabama Is such that no self
respecting Negro member OF the
all force could serve there with
out the risk of clashes with the
dominant community patters OF
-Negrolsm. In the reduction OF
the air force there will be many
excellent fields far better equipped
and suited for bomber and fighter
training than is the field at Tus-
ke2ce, which fields are located in
areas where Negro fliers would not
De subjected 10 constant humilia-
ton. Tuskegee Field does not a
present have adequate facilities
for training command or tactlca,
units Nor does it have adequate
housing and other facilities for
officers and enlisted personnel. We
realize that such facilities can be
created by the expenditure OF con-
siderable money. But fields already
created could be used and thus
avoid uneconomical spending Of
money for-the erection Of add
;ional facilities at TuSkegee.
-lS) We understand that the
proposed esta blishment Of COM
posite group for the training Of
Negro fighters and bombers ap-
plies only to Negroes. being =
device to combine all training Of
Negro fiiers in one place. White
fighter units will be assigned to
one field and white bomber units
to another under different COM
mands. We do not believe that
the same excellence and EN-
cheney can be attained by at
tempting to combine the two
merely to segregate Negroes IN
one composite group
WHEN 1T WAS reported 70 the
NAACP that DR.. Frederick D. Pat
terSon. president Of Tuske2ee I'M
Stltute, was urging the establish
ment Of a segregated unit at Tus-
kegee, the NAACP telegraphed DR..
Patterson that We are informed
that you have approached the War
Department with a proposal that
the Negro units in the Army Air
Force all be assigned 10 the TuS-
kegee Army Air Field in segre-
gated postwar composite group
consisting OF fighters and bombers
and that you have urged approval
OF this program by the Army Air
Force. We are also advised that
white fighter units and white
bomber units are assigned TO diff
ierent commands and stationed At
different fields and that your pro-
posal constitutes variance from
army practice applicable to Negro
lighters only.
DR.. PATTERSON telegrsphed
the NAACP on Sept p. Il have
suggested TO War Department that
Negro fghter Units now segre-
gated wherever they are located be
based at the Tuskegee Army Flying
Field in terms OF their peacetime
strength and until such times as
me army develops policy which
VIII discontinue these squadrons as
Negro units with indignation with
other flying personnel. These
Souadrors II based at the TuSkegee
Army Flying Field would be units
Of the Southeastern Flying Com
mand as would white units based
in this area. Please quote this state
ment in full II II IS used or re-
ferred to- Thanks"
The NAACP expressed disagree
neut with DR. Patterson'S proposal
that Sesreg CATION be continued OF
that any encouragement should be
slVen 10 segregation until such
time as the War Department OF
IS own rolliion decides TO abolish
Segregation.