Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-03-01
Dear Joe
By JAMES L. HICKS


what he observed overseas,
I'm fed right up to my Adams
Apple, so pardon me while $50
WAS in Townsville. Australia,
in June. l9IS, when Bishop J. A,
Gregg came overseas labelled as
"a special representative Of the
President Of the United States"
and built all the colored soldiers up
to the biggest let down We ever
had.
Al the time Bishop Gregg was in
Townsville colorcd troops were
going through the toughest period
Of discrimination from their own
white officers they ever had to face
in that part Of the world.
don't know what the Bishop
came over for-veTy few Of the
men ever found out, for all the
time he was there he was closely
hanked by Georgia born Colonel 7.
NJ, Shockley and the enlisted men
gave them plenty room. but we
hoped he'd change things,
But went on from there to com.
bat In New Guinea and lived to
read the glowing accounts Of BiSh-
op Gregg in the American papers
ON how we'll the colored troops
were faring In Australia and the
isles Of the Pacific.
The day Bishop Gregg came TO
Townsville we had steak for din
ncr. | wonder II he know that we
had been eating bully beef for 80
days straight before he came
wonder u he know we ate &c"
rations for 10 days moro after he
was gone.
Whom Bishop Gregg ate In the
officers mess Cat the Colonol's
table, Of the ASth QuArtermaSter
Truck Regiment was n second
lieutenant just out Of OCS, but |
was already In command Of the
92nd ON RRilheRd Company be-
cause they were headed for combat
and the white captain who former.
ly commanded II wanted to stay in
Australia.
Maybe Bishop Gregg figured
that second lieutenant Scott and
| sat at the same table In the
corner OF the mess hall because
we were second lieutenRntH but !
wonder how he figured Chaplain
FrierSon Of Atlanta, Ga. who was
n first lieutenant got at that same
table.
In case the Bishop was too busy
with the colonel TO ask, ! will tell
him now. We sat In the corner
because we were cOlored officers
and that was the colored table.
but the Bishops report In Ameri-
can papers said We were getting
along all right
When hit the beaches Of New
Guinea as company commander
although my compRny'S area was
a good eight miles over Jungle
trails from the docks where the
ships from the States came In !
was constantly troubled by colored
naval personnel who would hitch.
hike and walk those eight miles and
attempt to abandon their ship and
join my company because they
were being treated so badly on the
high seas by naval officers.
And yet, Joe. lived TO see the
Secretary Of the Navy pin the
Navy's highest civilian award on
Lester Granger. National Secre-
tary Of the Urban League, for say
Ing among other things that tho
Navy was twice As liberal AZ the
army in the treatment Of It's col
ored personnel.
When ! stood on the deck Of the
U.S.S. MormacdRle Mt Gamma
Dodo, New Guinea and said good
bye 10 the islands forever. the last
bunch Of guys ! talked 10 were n
group Of Seabces who had helped
10 load the ship. And the last thing
they said 10 me was, Lieutenant,
please, II you ever make 1t back
20 the states (the war was still
very much onD please tell some.
body how they are treating uS over
here"
am telling you now, JOE
Goldiered from private 10 captain
and served with Australian.
Chinese, Indian. Aboriginal, and
Papuan troops. but the status Of
the colored SeRbeeE ut Gamma
Dodo and WaRR WaRa, New
Guinea, was the lowest have ever
seen In any uniform.
And yet lived TO read an article
by the Rev. William II. JcrnRRin,
who the SeabssS officials TOOK on
tour Of the Pacific, that said
among other things that the Sea
bees were well treated In the Pa
ciHc. Maybe Mr.. JernnRin didn't
get 10 Gamma Dodo or the beaches
at WaRa WaRR. But maybe he
should have gone.
I was among the first colOred
troops 10 land In Australia back
there In 1912 and one Of the things
which will never forget IL the
six blocks down along the BriE-
bans River In Brisbane which the
American army set aside for q
recreation area for col0red troops.
All the rest Of the city Of Brisbane
m.