St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1953-11-06

II Aid thought you was gwine
git 10 mad about II. All wouldn't
OF spoke TO you a-tall."
Jokes like these. however apro-
cryphai. didn't improve the Me-
gros status in the military es-
Enlistment. Instead, they helped
fix damaging pictures in minds
OF other servicemen. The thumb
nail sketch of tho Negro service
men between wars ran something
like this; lacking In group cour-
age, ill-disciplined, need white Of.
ficers. and can't use technical
equipment. Little wonder the Me-
gro's progress In the small econ
omy squeiched Regular Army was
at a standstill for almost two de-
cades.
The truth is that during the
20's and 30's the Negro had almost
no representation In the nations
armed forces. Although approx
mately one out OF every ten per-
sons In the United States was a
Negro, the ratio Of Negro troops
strength was more like one out
OF every forty in the Army; still
less in the Navy and Marine
Corps
In the doldrums between two
World Wars. the four traditional
colorcd regiments had remarkable
and sustained re-enlistment rec
ords, Composed mainly OF 80
year men" their ranks offered
few openings for recruits. Thus.
there was practically no nucleus
OF trained and experienced Me-
gro troops around whom an ex-
banded wartime organization
could be built. The situation in the
Army's civilian components was
no better. Less than 400 Negroes
were accepted for citizens mill
tary training camps in 1889 -
compared to some $4,000 whites
and this was the very year World
War II began on the plains OF
Poland.
During the thirtieg a Negro
congressman began To appoint
men OF his own race TO the United
States Military Academy and In
vokcd a storm In the rockbound
school on he Hudson The cadets
made II doubly tough for the col.
ored pioneers at Uncle Sans
school for generals. having for
gotten their predecessors Of the
10th century Every conceivable.
but legal. pressure was applied 10
pun the rug from under coiored
cadets. One Of the first TO come
through this harsh test was Ben.
jamin Davis. Jr,. No. "a In the
Class OF 1885. whose father re-
tired as a hrigadier general IN
World War II. When he graduated
the cadets took their hats off TO
colored second lieutenant now
colonel who had made the grade,
Davis won their esteem and made
1t easier for other Negroes To sue
coed at the Point. Their presence
there is taken for granted today.
II was even tougher at Annapolis
mot until iet9 did eolored
middle" graduate into the Navy
New Opportunities
When II came World War II
was TO present exceptional oppor-
tunities to the Negroes in Ameri-
ca The Armed Services faced the
problem OF 1917 all over again In
aggravated form. particularly the
Army. Negro soldiers, rs a group
had less education: less opportun.
ity to acquire mechanical and
other technical skills: and gen.
orally made lower scores ON
Army qualification tests" tests
which less reflect native intelli.
gnce than adaptability for service
based upon previous opportuni-
ties TO learn.
While the Army never accepted
any racial doctrine, II had to take
into account the fact that the ra-
cial prejudices which exist out.
side continue 10 influence men
even after they don a uniform,
The Army had to decide how Il
could best use Negro personnel
and simultaneously maintain the
efficiency OF the Army as whole
Emergency condition are not
conducive 10 experimentation.
Once more the Army organized It's
colored and white troops into sep
arate units, Segregation was held
10 be u matter OF practical ex.
pedicncy. not an Endorsement OF
racial beliefs and distinction. This
policy resulted in establishing two
colorcd infantry divisions and
numerous separate anu-aircrsft
colored battalions, A War De-
partment survey conducted In
iela among soldiers OF both races
supported planners estimates
that there would be less inter-
racial friction II colored and
white enlisted men continue TO
serve In unmixed units.
However in 1914. the shortage
OF good combat riflcmen prompt
ed the War Department 10 con-
duet practical tests toward In
creasing the Army's fighting
noyxrr Caiorsa niatoanx enunpr4s