Re: Race Relations and Korea

[<DGill11331@aol.com>]

In a message dated 4/6/00 10:47:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
msmall@roanoke.infi.net writes:

<< How do you account for Don Gill's posting yesterday in which he stated that
 the 1st Marine Division was effectively a segregated outfit for the first
 six months of the War?   >>

In 1949, prior to the Korean War I went to boot camp at Parris Island. There 
were no blacks or Porto Ricans in the all white boot platoons. There was a 
single small (9 plus or minus) all black platoon. White boot-camp platoons 
had 74 men. I then was at the Marine Barracks in Portsmouth Virginia, all 
white, I was next in the Marine detachment on the aircraft carrier USS 
Philippine Sea CV-47, all white. The officer's ward room was staffed by all 
Filipinos. Next I was stationed at the Marine barracks in Newport, RI, all 
white. Next I was at Camp Lejeune, all white rifle units. Shipped to Camp 
Pendleton, unit all white. While on the way to Korea on the USS Noble APA 218 
there was one Chinese/American Marine (what company he was attached to I do 
not remember).  From September to December 1950 I never saw anything but 
whites in the rifle companies including mine; however, my platoon did have a 
very light skin, blue eyed Cuban/American staff-sergeant by the name of Jack 
Hollaway (twice wounded Sept. 21, 1950). I do not even remember anything but 
whites (wounded/frostbite) in all the naval hospitals I was in.  After 
returning to duty (1951) I was stationed at the Marine Barracks in Boston 
(Charlestown) and again in Newport, RI, all white. In recent years I was told 
by former buddies that after I left the company it started to get black 
replacements in January of 1951. What I wrote here only tells of my own 
personal experiences, if another ex-Marine had a different experience in the 
same time frame, he wasn't with me. Have a nice day. DON