Re: Race Relations and Korea

[<DGill11331@aol.com>]

In a message dated 4/5/00 12:46:31 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
msmall@roanoke.infi.net writes:

<< and the Marines (correct me on this, please, if I'm in error, here,
 Ben!) and the Air Force had no blacks at all.  >>

In 1948 Truman ordered the armed services integrated; however, I joined the 
Marine Corps in the summer of 1949 and it was still segregated.  Boot camp 
had a few blacks, but they were fully segregated from the whites. Prior to 
going to Korea and being transferred to the 1st Marine Division I was in the 
2nd Marine Division which had no blacks in the rifle companies. In the first 
six months of the Korean War there were no blacks in the 1st Marine 
Division's rifle companies; however, there were black truck driver, etc. It 
is my understanding that the large number of causalities taken in the first 
six months by the 1st Marine Division and especially at Chosin (December 
1950) accelerated the full integration of the Corps.  DON