The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1945-11-03
Negro Unit On
|Okinawa

Oklnawa.-History was made in
more ways than one when Ameri-
can launched an all out invasion
OF this islyand; it was the biggest
offensive thus far in the Pacific,
and the first time Negro units of
the Navy went ashore with the as
sault waves.
Logistics Support Companies 26
and 81 went ashore with the frs
Marine division on Easter morn
ing, to help wrest this prize pos
session from the enemy.
Although they are not combat
unit, these men have faced mass
ar attacks, watched Japanese sui
clde planes explode against ships
| adjacent to theirs, been strafed
while doing their work, and have
slept and carried supplies over the
twisting, rotting muddy jungle
paths of Okinawa.
But wait, go back to the time
when these men were receiving
training on Guadalcanal with the
9TH Marine Division. Rudolph
Washington, motor machinist's
mate, second class, of Yonkers, N.
Y, tells about it.
When we landed on Guadal-
canal we started doing things that
should only be in the movies. We
began drilling daily under the ever
present heat. In addition to march
ing, rifle drills, gas drills, hikes
with full combat pack and night
bivouacing, we had to make dry
runs in loading and unloading the
ships. That was done to see how
fast we could work.
Some nights six hours sleep
seemed like 10 minutes, but we
were glad to get it. And our arms
ached continuously from the many
NEGOTIATIONS given to protect us
from the various tropical diseases.
Each morning we stood rifle in
spection as well as personal in
spection We had to be snappy and
military.
When our combat training was
finished, the men had several days
rest before being sent aboard a
transport that would land them on
the bloody shores of Okinawa. They
sailed for more than 80 days thru
the choppy Pacific Ocean. Several
days before Easter, dawn brought a
Silhouette of Okinawa. Flares were
visible from American warships
as they pended the island.
American planes ruled the skies
as the convoy waited for the word
to land. In less than day the Ne
groes were called to unload a ship
of supplies. They hauled ashore
tanks, trucks, food, ammunition,
cranes and TINT.
1.-TWO days later most of the
men were ashore, moving supplies
to the troops. Except for intermit-
tent blasts from American artillery
and warships, activity was surpris-
ingly calm. But this strange peace
fulness was only temporary.
1--WE had only been ashore a cou-
pie of days when the Jas really
opened up Charles Avery, boat
SWANS mate, first class, whose
wife, Marie, lives in Chicago.
They sent wave after wave Of
planes to strafe our beach-head.
A few planes dropped bombs dan
gerously close to us. Other planes
headed for our ships in they bay
to drop their tin fish.
Our job was to unload ships,
and we did But after watching
those fanatical suicide planes for
awhile, we felt the front lines
would be a safer place
It's funny thing about watching
a suicide attac Your whole body
feels feverish, yet your hands are
cold. And you'de angry as hell. |
remember the time l saw a Jap
plane flying so low we could see
the little pilot laughing as his gun
kicked up dirt around one of the
fellows foxholes. / cursed my gun
because / didn't hit the plane"
Activity of an offensive nature
has passed into one of building
and storing up supplies for the
future. AS the men 60 about their
daily tasks they know the part
they played in the defeat of ia