Race Relations and Lemuel Shepherd

[Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>]

At 08:45 PM 4/6/2000 -0400, Ben Frank wrote:
>Insofar as I know, the whole 1st Marine Division was integrated when the
>Presidential order came out. I cannot imagine any of the Services not
>obeying the order.
>
>Re/MacArthur and Shepherd, they met several times for long conferences. I
>am inclined to think that MacArthur apologized to Shepherd at a planning
>conference in Tokyo sometime before the Inchon landing, but I would have to
>check Shepherd's transcript to corroborate the date. I feel certain that
>Heinl put it in his Inchon book. Ben

Thanks, Ben, for your kind answers.  I do feel a bit bad about being so
persistent.

First, Don Gill has posted statements absolutely contradicting yours.  You
and he were both there, and both serving as Marines.  If what you say is
true, you are calling Don Gill's memories false.  Please, reconcile this a
bit!  It is absolutely impossible for the both of you to be accurate, and
Don has identified his experience in detail.  

The US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force reported through the
Secretary of Defense in January, 1949, that the services were fully
integrated.  We know that this was not true for the Army, Navy, and Air
Force.  

As to Shepherd receiving an apology, I cannot identify a time before
CHROMITE when Shepherd and MacArthur were together other than the initial
conference where MacArthur had to shame the Navy into supporting the
operation -- "the Navy has never let this Nation down, and they will not do
it now".  According to the Navy witnesses, Shepherd then spoke up in favor
of the landing.  (My sources include Blair's FORGOTTEN WAR (admittedly, a
bit negative on the Marine Corps), and the standard MacArthur biographies.)
 I do not have Heinl's book, nor does any library within fifty miles of me
(VMI has a copy, I believe, due to Almond's involvement.)  Could you dig
your copy out and cite me to page and verse, and I can attempt to ILL a copy?

Thanks!

Marc

msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
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