From the Ocober 18, 2022, Time Magazine, "5 black World War II veterans to know" by Olivia B. Waxman.
Carter was raised in India and China and was fluent in Hindi, Mandarin and German. He was one of about eighty Blacks who volunteered for the Spanish Civil War against fascist General Franco, serving in an integrated unit at a time when U.S. Army units were segregated.
Despite his language skills and combat experience overseas, the U.S. Army made him a cook in a quartermaster truck company, becoming one of many black Americans who were assigned to roles that really weren't suited to their skills set.
Black Americans were barred from combat roles, but near the end of the war, the U.S. needed more troops for combat and asked black Americans to volunteer. Carter did and served in the 12th Armored Division, earning a Medal of Honor, posthumously for fighting in Germany -- one of only seven black Americans to receive the award during World War II.
Of course, you might think he should have received that Medal of Honor back then and not after he died.
But, that was the way it was back then.
--GreGen
No comments:
Post a Comment