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10BODYOFCHRISTNEWSJANUARY2013WhyareWWIIsoldierscalledthegreatestgenera-tionwhentherewassomuchracismandseg-regationinAmericaBodyofChristNewspresentsconversationswithtwoAfrican-AmericanveteranswhoservedAmericahonorablyduringWorldWarII.VeteransFirstSergeantMartinHarrisSr.andTechSergeantTedWayrecentlydiscussedtheirexperi-encesbothinAmericaandoverseasasblackmeninthemilitary.Notonlyaretheirexperiencespoignantandsometimesdownrightcruelbutthesemenhavewitnessedthehistorythathasbeenwritteninourhistorybooksandalsohavelivedtheotherhistorythatwillneverbementionedorknownexceptfromtheirlips.Athomeorinthemilitaryx13x1cKnowyourplacex1dx13Ninety-fouryearoldFirstSergeantMartinHarrisSr.wasbornduringtheendofWWIin1918inNorfolkVirginiawherehelivedandattendedschool.Herecallsusingthehand-me-downbooksthatwhitestudentshadusedtheyearbeforeoroldbooksthatwereoutdatedduringhisschoolyears.x1cSowhenIcamealonginmycountyofabout50000to60000peopletherewasonlyonehighschoolinEmporiathecountyseat.Insomeofthecountiestheydidnx19tevenhaveaschooloronlyhadonechurch.Incertainneighborhoodstheywouldhaveschoolsforblackkidsandthepeoplewouldgivetheirmoneytothechurchfortheschools.Thehighschoolwasinfairshapeandwehadallblackteachersandablackprincipalx13weallranit.Buttheheadoftheschoolboardwaswhitesotheywouldcomedowntoseehowweweredoingx13howwewererunningthingswhatsubjectsyouwereteachinghowyouweretreatingyourstudentsandthingslikethat...thewhiteswereinchargetherewereveryfewmaleteachersandmostprincipalswerepreacherswithuptoaseventhgradelevelwhichwasthehighestlevelthatblackswereallowedtogoto.WhenFirstSergeantHarrisSr.firstjoinedthemilitaryjustoutsideofVirginiaheworkedinthenavyshipyardthatwassegregated.x1cIntheolddaysx1dheexplainedx1cthenavyshipyardwasdividedintotheelectricshopwoodworkersshopandmanyothershopsandtherewasonlyoneblackshipperinthesedepartments-outofpossibly400ship-pers.x1dHesaysthiswasbecauseVirginiahasalwayswantedblackpeopletox1cknowtheirplacex1dbecauseoftheirprideandtraditions.x1cEvenifablackmanhadstatusormoneytheblackmanstillhadtosayx1csirx1dandknowhisplace.x1dBlackmenwerestillcalledax1cboyx1dbywhitesnomatterhowoldtheywerex13x1cifyouwereamanthenyouwouldbecalleduncleorifyouwerealadythenyouwouldbecalledx1cauntx1dbutthiswastokeepyouinyourplace.Intheship-yardnomatterhowsmartablackmanwashewasnotallowedtodocertainjobs.Sometimestheyweresmarterthanthewhitepersonwhowastheirbossx1dbutthisishowitwasx1dhesaid.x1cInthosedaystheonlythingablackmancoulddointhenavywastocookorbeawaiterorhandlefood.Thewhitemendideverythingelse.x1dLynchingsx13commonx1cLynchingwasalloverwhereIgrewupx1dstatedFirstSergeantHarrisSr.x1cIwasonecountyfromwhereNatTurnerdidallofhisstuffhewasinFranklinCountyandIwasinGreenvilleCountyandhewasapreacher.Therewereplentyofpeoplegettinglynchedforinstanceiftherewasawhiteladycomingacrossthestreetandyoulookedathertoolongandawhitemancameandsaidx1cWhatareyoulookingatYoujustundressedmywomanx1dHecouldputyouinjailforx1crecklesseyeballingx1dbutifitwasoneofthoseheadstrongbrothersandwehadthemandiftheytalkedbacktohimthewhitemanortheygotintoanargumentorafightandtheblackmanbeathimthatmightbebadenoughforthemtolynchhimthatnight-togivehimalessonandsendamessagetotherestofthecommunityandintheprocesstheywouldtarandfeathertheblackmanandburnhimanddrivehimdownthestreet.x1dAndmorelynchingsTechnicalSergeantTedWayalongwithmanyAfrican-Americansstillalivetodayalsowitnessedlynchingsinhislifetime.Sgt.Waywasjustayoungboywhenthetravestyoflynchingwasbroughttohisattention.Hetestifiedthathismotherdiedwhenhewasaboutsixorsevenyearsofage.BorninJacksonvilleFloridahismotherwasfromGeorgiaandhisfatherwasfromCordeleGeorgia.Onenighthisparentswenttoseehisfatherx19smotherhisgrandmotherandhisaunt.Suddenlyeveryonewasawakenedandorderedoutofthehouse.x1cYoucouldseemenwithwhitesheetsonx13andasherifforoneofhishirelingsonahorse..andwhathadhappenedwasthatablackmanhadbeentarredandfeatheredandtheyweredragginghimthroughtheneighborhood.IwasonlyaboutsixorsevensomyfatherputhishandovermyeyessoIcouldnotseewhatwasgoingonbuthedidnx19tclosehisfingersallthewayandIcouldseewhatwasgoingon.Mypar-entswantedmetogointothebedroomandbeinganosychild-thelocksonthedoorsx13inthosedaysyoucouldseestraightthroughthemandIheardmygrandmothersayx1cNowyoufellasbecarefulx1dandIcouldseethepeopletalking...andmyfatherwentovertothemantelpieceandpulleditopenandtherewasashotgun.SothenthemenleftandIwentout-sidetoaskifIcouldgowiththem.Myfathertoldmetostay.Icouldnx19tgotosleep.YearslaterIfoundoutthattherehadbeenalynchingandtheblackmanthathadbeentarredandfeatheredanddraggedthroughtheneighborhoodwaslynched.x1dEnteringthemilitaryNewexperiencesoldracismDuringtheendingofWWIblacktroopshadservedinall-blackunitsandmilitarybaseswereverysegregatedwiththeblackshavingtheirowncan-teenslivingquarterseatingplacesanddancehalls.x1cBlackswereonlyallowedinthemainpostiftheyhadbusinessorworkedthereotherwiseyouhadtostayinyourpartoftheinstallationandbecauseyouwerebornandraisedthatwayitwasnothardforyoutoacceptthisbecausethiswasallyoueversaworknewyouwereeventaughtfromyourownparentsx13x1cDonx19tyousassthatwhitepersonx1dYoualwayswenttothebackdoortovisitMr.SoandSoyouneverwenttothefrontdoor.Soweasagroupwereaccustomedtoalotofthingsgoingtosegre-gatedschoolsandchurchesandweacceptedthemandweknewourplace.x1dWhenFirstSergeantHarrisSr.wasfirstinductedintothearmythereweretworeceptioncentersoneforwhitetroopsandoneforblacktroops.FirstSergeantHarrisSr.wasprocessedwithaphysicalexamandthentestedforjobplacementaccordingtohisskillsetandbackground.x1cTherewerealwaysafewblackpeoplewhowerelawyersteachersanddoctorsandwhenthesecameintothemilitarytheyranthekeypositionsforblacksandthetrainingpositionsx1dhesaid.BlackscouldleavethebasebuttheywenttotheUSOfortheblacksoldiers.FirstSergeantHarrisSr.didnotserveoverseasbutservedinthestatesforthreeandahalfyearssincethemilitarydeclaredthepositionheheldtobeveryessential.x1cForeveryonemanupfrontittakessevenmoretokeephimtheresoIwaspartofthatseventokeepsuppliestohelptrainandtokeeptroopsmovingtothefront.Youdonotwantinexpe-riencedpeopleupfronttrainingonceyougetagoodsetupoftrainersx13youmustkeepthemyoudonx19tsentthemawayx13youkeepthemtogetthingsready.x1dFirstSergeantHarrisSr.x19sfirststopwasatthearmyinstallationsmostofwhichwereontheeastcoastwhenWWIIfirststarted.TheeastcoasthadsuchinstallationsasFt.MonroeLangleyFieldandFt.GeorgeE.Mead.WhentheWarcamealongAmericanswereafraidoftheGermansandbeforeGermanydeclaredwartheirsubmarineswereseenoffthecoastofNorfolkVirginiaandVirginiaBeach.OneSundayeveningmeandmyfamilycouldseetherewasaGermansubmarinedownbythecoast.Sowhenwedeclaredwarthemilitarybroughtintroopsbythemillionsandtheyhadtoopeninstalla-tionsandtraininthemiddleofthecountrysotrain-ingcampswereopenedupinUtahLouisianaSt.LouisandMontanaandplaceslikethatincasetheGermansmightdosomethingtheyshouldnx19tdosinceAmericastillhadGermansoverhereloyaltotheircountry.InfactinCharlestonSouthCarolinaandSavannahGeorgiasomeGermanswerecaughtre-fuelingthesubmarines.Wedonx19thearthistalkedaboutx1dheremarked.AccordingtoFirstSergeantHarrisSr.atrainingcampwasopenedupinSaltLakeCityUtahandalsoabigtrainingcampinKearnsUtah.x1csoblacksandwhitesweresentouthereforbasictrainingwherewelearnedhowtomarchhowtoreadandwritesomesoldierscouldnx19twritetheirnameandbackinthosedayswehadalotoftheblacktroopsthatcouldnotreadorwritesincesomeofthemneverwenttoschoolbecausetheywerefromfarms.x1dFirstSergeantHarrisSr.receivedhisbasictrain-inginKearnsUtahafteronlysixweeksoftrainingexplainingthatnormallyduringpeacetimesasol-dierwillreceiveabout18monthsofbasictrainingbutbecausethewarwasalreadyinprogressFirstSergeantHarrisSr.andotherblacksoldiersonlyGreatestGenerationBlackVeteransRecallRacismSegregatedMilitaryDuringWorldWarIITESTIMONYWellKnownforhisracistviewsGeneralPattonpredictablyenoughhadinitiallyrejectedtheideaofacceptingblacktroopsinhis3rdArmysayingthattheywereincapableofmasteringthecomplexmachineryintanksbutwhenhislossesmountedandheaskedforthebesttankbattalionleftintheUnitedStateshewassentthe761st.KeepinghisdoubtstohimselfPattonwelcomedthemenwithhisusualgustotellingthemthathedidntcarewhatcolortheywereaslongastheykilledGermanswhomhedescribedinobscenetermsasamongotherthingsmenwhohadrelationswiththeirmothers.Referringtohiswidelyquotedrejectionofblacksastankershetoldthemthathewantedthemtomakealiaroutofhim.The761st.quicklydidsofight-ingadmirablyacrossFrancedespitebeingunabletofindtrainedreplace-mentsforitsmanycasualties.DuringthefightingintheArdennesandlaterinGermanythe761stcontinuedtodriveforwardnomatterhowheavytheGermanresistance.ItwastheleadbattaliontoenterseveralcitiessuchasCobergGermanythatoffi-cialhistorieslatersaidweretakenbywhiteunits.DuringtheclimacticBattleoftheBulgeblackStaffSergeantEdwardA.CarterJr.ofPattons12thArmoredDivisionkilledsixGermansandcap-turedtwoothersinasingledesperatebattlealthoughhesufferedfivebulletwoundshimself.WhenthewarendedCarterwasawardedtheDistinguishedServiceCrosstheArmyssecondhighestcombataward.CarterwasfinallyawardedtheMedalofHonorposthu-mouslyin1997.x14ExcerptedfromthebookHiddenHeroismBlackSoldiersinAmericasWarsbyRobertB.Edgerton.Pages155and156.Heroic761stProvedPattenWrongRegardingAbilityofBlackSoldiersContinuedonPage21