Re: Race Relations and Korea

[Donald McElfresh <a0019874@airmail.net>]

DGill11331@aol.com wrote:

> 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

In February 1949 there was a black sailor in our boot company at Great Lakes; in
June 1950 one of the most 4.0 sailors you could meet was a First Class Boatswain
(black) named Corbett, and a Second Class radioman named Gentle Havard (black).
Havard received the Bronze Star in September 1951 when attached to the Thai
Frigate PRASAE when she went aground in enemy waters; and then there was my
drinking/fighting buddy named "Skinny" Evans(black), a Boatswain, from Detroit.
That's all I know.      Don