African American Troops in World War II

by Bielakowski, Alexander; Ruggeri, Raffaele

• ISBN13: 9781846030727
• ISBN10: 1846030722
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-11-20
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing

Summary

Half a million African Americans served overseas during World War II, almost all in segregated second-line units. This artificially limited their potential contribution, but their work - especially along the logistic lifelines of the fighting divisions - was vital. This book summarizes the service of these men and women; it also focuses on the small proportion who, remarkably, overcame barriers of prejudice to reach the battlefields in combat units of the US forces. Their story is illustrated with wartime photographs and color plates - including portraits of some of the most outstanding heirs of the old "Buffalo Soldiers." Book jacket.

Author Biography

Alexander M. Bielakowski completed his Ph.D. in US military history at Kansas State University. He has written several articles on various aspects of military history, with a special interest in horse cavalry during the 20th Century. In 2000 he attended the West Point Summer Seminar in Military History at the United States Military Academy, and served as a historical consultant and interviewee for the History Channel documentary Animals in Action: Horses (2002). Dr. Bielakowski is an Associate Professor of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The author lives in Leavenworth, KS.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 3
Racial segregation in the US forces
The Selective Service Act
President Roosevelt and Executive Order 8802
US Army	p. 5
General Benjamin O. Davis Sr
US Army Air Corps/ Force: Colonel Benjamin O. Davis Jr and the 'Tuskegee Airmen' - 99th Fighter Squadron - 332nd Fighter Group - 477th Bombardment Group
Armored Force and Tank Destroyers: 761st Tank Battalion - 827th Tank Destroyer Battalion
Cavalry
Field, Coast and Antiaircraft Artillery Infantry: 92nd Infantry Division - 93rd Infantry Division - 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion - volunteer infantry replacements, 1945 - Executive Order 9981
Support and service troops
Life overseas
US Navy	p. 27
Steward's Mate Doris Miller
USS Mason - PC 1264 - Naval Construction Battalions
The Port Chicago disaster, July 17, 1944 - its aftermath
US Marine Corps	p. 44
Letter of Instruction 421
Gunnery Sergeant Gilbert H. Johnson
51st Defense Battalion - 52nd Defense Battalion - other units
Other Maritime Services	p. 49
US Coast Guard - early integregation
US Merchant Marine - SS Booker T. Washington
Bibliography	p. 53
Plate Commentaries	p. 55
Uniforms: US Army - US Navy - US Marine Corps
Index	p. 64
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