The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Blacks in World War II-- Part 1

From the July 15th Wilmington (NC) Star-News ""'The Color of War': Story of Giants" by Ben Steelman.

This is a review of James Campbell's book "The Color of War: How One Battle Broke Japan and Another Changed America.."

It took many years for the Tuskegee Airmen to be recognized.  I am glad that now the Montfort Point Marines and men serving at Port Chicago are being likewise given credit.  The obstacles these men had to overcome were remarkable and the fact that they stuck with it and persevered in the face of all the bigotry is a true credit to their race.  Just to show how deep this segregationist attitude went, Wilmington, NC, had over ten USOs and there was one exclusive for blacks.

"Wilmington plays a bit part in this history about a different side of World War II: The battle of black service memebers to achieve equality, respect and the right to fight for their country."

In the book, Campbell focuses on two incidents from mid-1944, the Battle of Saipan in the Pacific and the explosion at the ammunition-loading station at Port Chicago by San Francisco Bay.  "The two events are intertwined."

More to Come.  --GreGen

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