The guardian., 1952-05-03
- Gen. J. J. Pershing.

highly the spirit h own
among the COlored combat
troops"
- Gen. J. J. Pershing.
ALEXANDER HAMILTON, the
mulatto who helped build AM
erica, was a pioneer champion
of the rights of colored men to
serve in the U. S. Army. At first,
even George Washington was
cautious. Then the British be-
gan to recruit colored promis-
ing rewards. Thereupon Ham
ilton's views won acceptance.
Thousands of colored men were
recruited by Washington's Cen
erals. They helped him win the
war.
FRED DOUGLASS, by the
time of the Civil War, found the
same barrier again erected !
against colored men bearing
arms for America. Douglass,
like Hamilton, helped topple the |
bar. Fred was aided by Senator
Henry Wilson of Massachusetts,
who championed Congression-
al Army bill to accept colored
men, which was passed in July
of 1852 and provided the way
for organization of the Mass.
54th and 55th. Later Editor
Trotter's father was the first |
commissioned officer in the 55th
81 80 %&
COLONEL SHAW and others,
led Civil War colored troops into
immortal glory, something which
Dixie propaganda, like Birth of
a Nation, has tried evilly to
suppress. These men were state
militia volunteers, fore-runners
of the National Guard ALI
Colored units was then the pat
aern. And the Regular Army
perpetuated the pattern with
the oath and 25th Infantry and
the 9th and 10th Cavalry regi-
ments, all famous in five diff
ferent wars.
COMPANY L, the famous
fighting colored unit which had
fought unattached for the Union,
was finally assigned to the Sixth |
Mass. Regiment in 1878 and /
soon won more battle ribbons |
fighting on foreign n islands |
against the Spanish. Mustered |
out in 1899, the outfit was soon I
back again in 1917, the nucleus
for the first 372nd Regiment |
fighting in France.
~ ~ ~
PRESIDENT WILSON, and ad-
visors, at the close of the first |
World War, tried once more to
destroy all existing colored COM
bat units. But alert Tan YankS, |
including those of L Company,
organized the Mass. 372nd Qater
the Third Infantry MNG bat.
talon which became one of the
best in the state and nation.
In the Second World War, the
S72nd Regiment was led by Bay
State officers, and commanded
by the recently honored Colonel
Ned Gourdin.
@s - &&
THE CAMPAIGN against all
CoIOred Jim crow units can be
traced back to the Revolution
airy War of IT'S. 1t casts no re-
Election on coIOred officers and
men. Rather it was directed
against their unjust treatment
in segregated units where col
Ored troops were judged separate
from the U. S. Army, more on
the level of "cOIOniaIs" than citi-
zens. The cOlOred troops re-
sented the entire ugly system.
Bay State men and officers
fought constantly for reforms.
- N& 80
THE 272ND BATTALION, the
very young offspring Of the
battle-scarred S72nd and Old L
Company, is now apparently go
inS to add further history to
the honorable and brilliant Bay
state record. If reports from
Germany are true, the Bay State
Organized unit will become a
pioneer of integration. There
will be obstacles. There win be
traditional sentiment. But the
Army objective should and can
be wisely carried to full and fair
mixing.
THE BAY STATE militia, un-
der tbs new proposed integra-
ton program will not lose, but
will gain tradition - the real
tradition Of Democracy. The /
most celebrated Massachusetts, /
hero. Crispus Attucks, did not |
lose his identity under integra-
ton. Nor will our other colored /
heroes in days to come. And to |
all those pioneers Of the 54th,
55th. L Company, the 372nd, and
now the youthful 272nd, we say;
"Wen done, soldiers. Pass in Re-
viewl"