The 2nd Annual Veterans Conference will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2009, beginning at 8 am on the 8th floor of the State Office Building, 163 West 125th Street. The keynote address at 10:15 am will be delivered by Colonel Will A. Gunn (Retired), presently General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. There will be an evening Awards Dinner. We are inviting all veterans inclusive of all engagements including the present conflicts. Note: the 3rd annual Conference is already being planned.
First Annual Veteran's Conference
"My proudest moment was post war, 63 years later, when only this past August 16 & 17, 2008, we were able to hold the 1st Annual Veterans Conference in honor of those fallen and those that lived on that have not survived, especially Franklin Garrido, Simmons Washington, and LZ Anderson - great, great, great, guys. We were at least able to honor their memory and receive accolades from many elected official and others. The Department of the Army issued an apology for the treatment of the members of the 784th Tank Battalion by issuing a very commendable letter. We also received official recognition from our Congressman Charles Rangel and the governor of the state of New York, Governor David Paterson. And the City Counsel that represents the area of Harlem where the event was held on 125th Street in a famously named building, the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Building." Claude Frazier (C/784th)
Photo, left to right: Mr. James Harold McBryde (US Navy); presenter Leslie Wyche (assistant to Inez Dickens, Councilwoman for Central Harlem); Mr. Claude Frazier (C/784th); and Dr. James Baldwin (HQ/784). Dr. Baldwin is making the sign of the cross as the names of his fallen comrades are read aloud.
The 784th Reunites with the 35th Infantry Division after 63 Years
The 35th Division Association held its 2008 Reunion at Springfield, Illinois, September 3-6, 2008 at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Conference Center under the leadership of 35th Division President James G. Graff, 35/134/C - WWII. Among the honored guests attending were the present commanding general, Marvin Pearson.
The 35th Division, known for its distinctive wagon wheel patch, was the division where Captain Harry S. Truman (US President 1945-1953) served as a commander in Missouri's 129th Field Artillery in World War I.
At the 91st Reunion Memorial Service event, Joe Wilson, Jr., author of the recent book The 784th Tank Battalion in World War II, was an honored guest. His father, 1SGT Joseph E. Wilson, Sr., USA (Ret.) had served as a 761st Tank Battalion member in World War II.
Joe paid tribute to the twenty-four members of the 784th Tank Battalion who were killed in action during World War II, and he introduced Corporal Dr. James Baldwin and his daughter, Bonita Baldwin-Jones.
Dr. Baldwin was a mortar platoon gunner, Headquarters Company, 784th Tank Battalion in World War II and a survivor of his unit which assisted the 35th Division for several months in World War II. Dr. Baldwin spoke movingly about his experiences in the Army. Presently he is semi-retired and active in the 784th Tank Battalion Association. See biographical note for Dr. Baldwin, below.
At the 137th Regimental Unit Dinner on Friday evening, many 137th vets came up to personally greet Joe Wilson, Jr. and James Baldwin, and to thank each for the dedicated service and the help that the 784th contributed to Victory in WWII. Mr. Wilson and Dr. Baldwin gave an account of the actions and sacrifices of the 784th that was very well received by those attending and provided a better understanding of the trials of a black unit in WW II.
Photo above, standing, left to right: Dr. James Baldwin; Joe Wilson, Jr.; Gen. Jack Struckel, Jr.; Mr. Murray Leff (author: Lens Of An Infantryman published by Mcfarland & Co.); seated: Mrs. Marge Bullock and Mr. Keith Bullock. Photo taken at 137th Regimental Dinner, September 5, 2008, by Ms. Bonita Baldwin-Jones, daughter of Dr. Baldwin.
Comments from an infantryman: During the fighting in the Ruhr Pocket, the 784th probably saved this old man’s worthless hide. I’ve wondered for years who these wonderful guys were and where they came from. It turns out that they trained in North Camp Hood where I began my training in 1943. Some of us were out a little too far and were pinned down when out of the smoke there appeared the most beautiful Sherman under the command of the most beautiful Black man I/we have ever seen. The tank came to a halt nearby and a deep voice said; “got some trouble seems like?” I’d still like to shake that man’s hand. Probably he’s gone now – but I will never forget my/debt to those guys in the 784th Tank Battalion.
Biographical note for Dr. Baldwin: After graduating from high school, he attended Fayetteville State University. However, that was cut short by World War II. He became a member of the segregated 784th Tank Battalion. Following the war, he attended Howard University in Washington, DC . He served as dean of pledges for the Kappa Alpha Kappa fraternity. He graduated with a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in social work. Years later he completed his formal education with a PhD in Public Administration from Nova University. His first job was as a counselor at the DC Department of corrections. There he managed a caseload of felons. His next appointment was director of the Citizens Information Services, a counseling and referral agency. Then in 1970, the first African American mayor of Washington, DC, Walter Washington, appointed James Baldwin director of the DC Office of Human Rights. He served in that position for ten years and then retired from public service. In 1980 he formed Baldwin & Associates, where he specialized in investigating EEO complaints of discrimination.
The Knights of Irish Town
September 29, 2007 - The Honorary Consul of France, Jean-Pierre Collet, knighted the Martin brothers, Robert and Wayne, at the Dunbar Veterans Memorial following the Dunbar Community Fest parade.
The parade meandered through the historic town of Dunbar as what appeared to be the entire population lined the streets. They waved to their newest local heroes - two gentlemen sharply dressed in their original World War II uniforms riding in a horse drawn carriage. Robert in the American Legion uniform he purchased in 1946 and Wayne in the US Army class-A uniform issued to him in 1943.
Jean-Pierre Collet informed that the French Legion of Honor was established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte and it is the highest honor bestowed by the French Republic for outstanding service to France, regardless of social status or nationality.
In summary, the Legion of Honor investiture unfolded as follows: Anthony Wayne Keefer, the master of ceremonies, opened with a warm bilingual welcome. Keefer is a retired French teacher from the Dunbar area. WWII Chairman and Uniontown American Legion Post 51 Representative Joe T. Joseph with the assistance of Troop 180 of the Boy Scouts and Pack 180 of the Cub Scouts of America led the pledge of alliance. Directly following, Pastor Clyde P. Bailey, Jr. (Dunbar Presbyterian) gave the invocation. Then the French National Anthem – La Marseillaise, performed by saxophonist Dana Shultz filled the air before the Honorary Consul of France gave a moving speech. He then presented the honorees with the coveted Legion of Honor. When the applause finally died down, Fayette County Commissioner Angela M. Zimmerlink was able to make her remarks. She was followed by Pennsylvania State Representative Deborah Kula who presented the Martin brothers with a State proclamation. Then Author/WWII historian Joe Wilson, Jr. addressed the gathering and presented the honorees with several letters from their WWII comrades. Soon everyone was standing at attention and saluting the Martin brothers who were proudly wearing their Legion of Honor medals as Dana Shultz played the Star Spangled Banner. VFW Post 47 performed the color guard duties as the American Legion and their auxiliary performed the honor guard duties. Several World War II veterans were on hand along with a host of other veterans. The Dunbar Historical Society hosted this event.
During the event, the Martin brothers sat quietly that sunny Saturday morning drifting on a memory and wondering how their World War II efforts led to their knighting into the French Legion of Honor. They looked on as speaker after speaker touted their devotion to duty and to the country of France.
Robert (86) was taken back in time to his teenage years when he was barely old enough to shave. Earlier he spoke to us of a few “close shaves”: “I never thought I’d get that far because our ship was fired on by a submarine, and it missed our ship and hit a tanker. The tanker sank within two minutes. It seems like a close shave to me.” In another action: “I got hit by flying shrapnel from the truck. My driver, PFC John A. Plylar of Salisbury, NC later discovered a bullet in the foot well of the truck where I was sitting.” Robert’s unit the 208th Engineer Combat Battalion built roads and bridges mostly in the dead of night to avoid being seen by the enemy: “But when it got dark, they would start sending 88s in to try to blow us off the map. This one night I was sitting by a shell hole and they started firing. One 88 sounded like it was coming right at me and it landed right behind me but it never went off. What do you think of that? Isn’t that something? The other ones all went off. If it went off, it would have cut my throat or taken my head off easily. So that was another close shave.” Sergeant Robert Martin received four battle stars for service in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe.
Wayne (83) drifted back in time to when he served as an ambulance driver and aid-man for the 60th Field Hospital. He explained to us earlier: “I would at times pick up wounded at the battalion aid and collection stations and deliver them to our hospitals. To give you an idea of the size of our hospital, we could set up and pull a major operation within one hour. We would set up two 12-by-12 tents, use one as an operating room and one as supply, sterilization ward until our other six tens would arrive. I would deliver patients to the Evac hospitals. Each of the three platoons made a hospital.” During the Battle of the Bulge, just outside of Bastogne, Wayne got caught in an artillery barrage and survived by scampering underneath his ambulance. As he drove along he saw thousands of casualties: “It happened a lot of times along the highway. You helped them what you could, but that was all.” But none of this prepared him for what he soon witnessed – the Holocaust – up close and personal: “They were starving and just filthy just laying every place. We had to sort of pick them up and clean them up – thousands of dead and dying. Nothing I could do. Nothing we could do.” Technician 5th Grade Oliver “Wayne” Martin received five battle stars for service in Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe.
As mentioned earlier, The Honorary Consul of France Jean-Pierre Collet gave a moving speech. He will now have the final word: “Sergeant Robert Martin and Mr. Wayne Martin! You have served on the French soil with honor, merit, and personal sacrifice. You were leaders. You wrote personally within the rank of the US Army a new chapter of the French and American relations. We the French are proud that we contributed to the creation of the United States of America when Rochambeau, Lafayette, and de Grasse help defeat the British at Yorktown, thus paving the way to American independence making possible the rise of a new country that was to become the beacon of liberty. And we are proud also that in 1871 some French citizens were perspicacious and farseeing enough to launch a fund raising campaign to promote the construction of the Statue of Liberty to be erected in New York in order to commemorate the American independence. We the French know that the liberation of France and Europe began when the Allied Armies landed on the beaches of Normandy when the American and other Allies rushed to meet the crossfire and climbed these deadly cliffs. We know and remember what the price was. The price, 60,000 American soldiers rest in French soil. They gave their lives for a country that was not theirs but for an ideal that was theirs and ours – Freedom! And I would like to seize the opportunity to remind that despite some differences we had recently, some differences of opinion mostly, France continues to cooperate in the fight against terrorism. Particularly in Afghanistan where the French troops are deployed along side the American and other NATO forces. France has been the staunchest and oldest Ally of the United States. I know it may seem anecdotal but France is the only major European country that has never been to war against the United States. We share the same hope for liberty, equality, and opportunity. I will conclude by saying that we were here to help you start your country. You were there twice to help us keep ours. Thank you America! God bless you all."
Click above to play a video of the Consul's speech.
Click here for additional photos
(Following are previous news items on the same subject.)
Brothers Robert and Wayne Martin To Be Knighted by France
Robert and Wayne Martin, both of Dunbar, Pennsylvania, will be knighted into the French Legion of Honor on September 29th, 2007, at the Dunbar Festival. The Honorable Consul of Western Pennsylvania Jean-Pierre Collet will conduct the knighting ceremony following the 10:30 parade on the morning of the 29th. Numerous other state and local government representatives will also take part in the ceremonies. The event sponsor, the Dunbar Historical Society invites the public to attend this event.
The brothers, two of four brothers who served in the US Army during World War II, received letters dated July 31, 2007 from the French Embassy Charge’ d’ Affaires Francois Rivasseau in Washington DC that alerted them that the President of France named each of them Chevalier de la Legion d’ Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honor.) The letter reads in part:
This award testifies to the President of the French Republic’s high esteem for your merits and accomplishments. In particular, it is a sign of France’s true and unforgettable gratitude and appreciation for your personal, precious contribution to the United States decisive role in the liberation of our country during World War II. The French people will never forget your courage and devotion to the great cause of freedom.
The Legion of Honor was developed in 1802 by Napolean Bonaparte and is the highest award given by the French Republic for outstanding service to France, regardless of the social status or the nationality of the recipients. Shown to the right is a picture of the Legion of Honor Award.
Author and historian Joe Wilson Jr., who featured the Martin Brother’s war exploits in his book The 784th Tank Battalion in World War II, will also speak at the event and will conduct a book signing.
Wording from Robert M. Martin’s Award Nomination
During WW II:
Robert M. Martin entered into the US Army on September 30, 1942 and after receiving combat engineer training was moved to Europe on board the troop ship “General George J. Simmonds” departing on February 27, 1944 from Argenti, Newfoundland. Along the trip the vessel in which Martin was traveling was nearly struck by a German U-boat torpedo. A tanker that was in the convoy was struck by the torpedo that was intended for the troop ship Martin was on. The tanker sunk within 2 minutes of being struck. After stops and readiness preparation exercises in Scotland and England, Martin’s unit, the 208th Engineers Combat Battalion landed on Utah Beach in Normand,y France and immediately began their combat support operations.
Just outside St Jean de Day, the vehicle that Martin was traveling in was strafed by a German fighter plane. Martin and his driver, PFC John A. Plylar of Salisbury, North Carolina, dove from the vehicle just as it was hit by bullets. Martin was injured in his right forearm by shrapnel flying off the bullets as they struck the truck. A bullet from that strafing attack was found in the foot well of the truck where Martin was sitting and was retained by PFC Plylar as a souvenir.
The 208th Combat Engineer Battalion’s route of travel across France was as follows: Utah Beach, Normandy; Briquebec; Osmanville; La Foret; Ponti Hebert; Tessy Sur Veir; Vire; La Loure; Paris; Pierreli; La Capelle before entering into Belgium, then on to Holland and Germany. Martin was awarded four battle stars for his involvement in Normandy, Northern France, Europe and Rhineland.
The 208th had many encounters with local French civilians ranging from happy and relieved French citizens lining the streets waiving as the 208th’s heavy equipment convoys motored by, to actually feeding French citizens who appeared in need of food. The work that these engineers performed also directly supported transportation, aided in reconstruction of France by building roads and bridges, clearing streets of debris from fallen buildings and repairing holes associated with bombing and shelling. All this was done while being close to front lines while the 208th was in direct support of other combat units.
Throughout their time in France and later in Belgium, Holland and Germany Martin and his unit would engage in direct combat activities especially when constructing foot bridges and heavier duty bridges across the many rivers in Western Europe. More specifics could be provided about activities in other countries, but for brevity sake, this article focused solely on Martin’s time in France.
Robert’s Post War Activities
After returning home from the War in December 1945, Martin married childhood sweetheart Sally K. Hardy, built a home in which he still lives today, and went back to work at the Pennsylvania Wire Glass Factory where he worked as a sheet metal worker, layout man and assistant foreman. When the wire glass factory closed down, he went on to work as a sheet metal worker at Fruehauf Corporation eventually working his way up to a foreman there. The Martins had one child whom they adopted in 1960. Martin retired in 1984. His wife of over 50 years passed away in 1995. Robert has been active since the War in the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars organizations serving in leadership positions. Martin has also served as a Unit Commissioner for the local Boy Scouts of America organization and is active with the Dunbar Historical Society as well as the Irishtown Sportsman’s Club, where he served for nearly two decades as the organization's President. Martin is well-known locally for his dedicated service by parading in every Memorial Day parade since returning from the war. Robert has been the subject of several regional news articles relating his dedication to duty and country.
A picture below of Robert Martin taken from the book, The 784th Tank Battalion in World War II,
Wording from Oliver “Wayne” Martin’s Award Nomination:
During WW II:
Oliver W. Martin entered into the US Army on May 10, 1943 and after receiving ambulance driver and medical training was moved to Europe. After readiness preparation exercises in England, Martin’s unit, the 60th Field Hospital and landed in Normandy France in support of the US’ Third Army, immediately beginning their combat support operations. Their first combat action was the Battle of Falaise Gap which resulted in tens of thousands of German soldiers being killed or captured.
The 60th Field Hospital’s route of travel across France was as follows: Normandy; Montree, Marigny, Vignot, Beaumont, Cerceil, Athienville, Vic-sur-Seille, Duize, Chateua Bonnefontaine, Oermigen, then on to The Battle of the Bulge and Bastogne Belgium. They then moved on to Luxembourg, Germany and finally into Austria. Along the way they cared for nationals from the various countries and also cared for personnel found in three separate concentration camps. Martin was awarded five battle stars for his involvement in Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Central Europe and Rhineland.
The 60th Field Hospital had many encounters with local French civilians ranging from happy and relieved French citizens lining the streets waiving as the units motored by, to actually feeding French citizens who appeared in need of food. The majority of the work Field Hospital personnel performed was done while being close to front lines in direct support of other combat units. More specifics could be provided about activities in other countries, but for brevity sake, this article focused solely on Martin’s time in France.
Post War
After returning home from the War in January 1946, Martin married Lena Litterio, built a home in which he still lives today, and worked as an owner and operator of coal mines for 6 years. He then worked on the railroads for 17 years, was a restaurant owner for a number of years, then returned to coal mining, having several coal mining inventions and patents to his credit. The Martins had two children. Martin retired in 1982. His wife of over 50 years passed away in 2006. Wayne has been active since World War II in the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars organizations serving in leadership positions. Martin has also served as a board member for the local Boy Scouts of America organization and is active with the Dunbar Historical Society. He is a founding member of the Irishtown Sportsman’s Club, where he served in various leadership positions.
Taken from the book, The 784th Tank Battalion in World War II, Wayne Martin is pictured below sitting on the front of his ambulance which he drove for the 60th Field Hospital.
Click here for a news article from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Click here for a news article from the Uniontown, Pennsylvania Herald Standard.
Congratulatory Messages
Dear Robert and Wayne Martin
I am writing to offer my sincere congratulations after hearing that you will be awarded the highest award given by the French Republic for outstanding service, the French Legion of Honor. Your outstanding accomplishments while serving during World War II are a reflection of your courage and unselfishness. I would like to express my appreciation and gratitude for the decisive role you played in securing the freedom of the French, particularly to Wayne for front line medical support of American combat units such as my father's, the 784th Tank Battalion, and to Robert for building the bridges enabling American combat units such as my father's to move forward and secure key areas. Although there are many accounts of American troops in World War II that do not mention African American troops, I want to thank you for providing your accounts of the contributions of African-American units such as the 784th toward winning the war.
Your wartime accomplishments along with tremendous community service after returning home set a wonderful example for others to follow. Once again, congratulations on your outstanding achievement. You can be justifiably proud on behalf of the Army, your community, and your country.
Colonel Lynne T. Hamilton-Jones
Program Director, Defense Travel System
Arlington, Virginia
Dear Robert and Wayne:
Congratulations on your award of the French Legion of Honor.
The Republic of France has done great honor to soldiers of our generation who fought in the liberation of France during World War II. As the recipient of the Legion of Honor last year, I feel particularly honored. Not only honored for myself but also for my comrades in arms who either did not survive the war or have since passed away.
Like yourselves I was a young soldier and had no lofty ambitions for myself in a military career. It was my turn and I did my duty. Since that time I have tried to be active in veterans organizations and support my brothers and sisters in arms. I did form deep friendships with my comrades and enjoy re-visiting the “old days” when we were young and carefree.
In about ten days I will be on my way to a reunion with my fellow members of the 35th Infantry Association in St. Louis. There I will join with past and present members of the division to reminisce and also to show our support for present-day members of the division who are serving at home and in far-off places like Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq.
As a part of our reunion ceremonies, we plan to honor all of members who have received the Legion of Honor. These men like yourselves are long since out of uniform but they still have a warm feeling for their days as soldiers.
I have been assured by our French friends that the honor bestowed upon us is not given lightly. It is a treasured decoration by all who have received it. In the course of the past year or so I have been privileged to meet quite a number of recipients and have been inspired by their stories, just as I have been by yours.
Best wishes to both of you. Be proud of what you have done and think occasionally about your deceased comrades.
Sincerely,
John F. Walsh
Norwalk, CT
Dear Robert and Wayne Martin,
I do believe congratulations are in order. I have read many accounts of American troops in action during WWII. You guys carried a heavy burden while serving during WWII. You were not only fighting for the freedom of the French you were fighting for the freedom of Americans as well. You were victorious in both endeavors. Because of you and your fellow soldiers the French regained their freedom and we African Americans were able to make major contributions to the betterment of our country. It was because of your efforts that so many doors were opened to us in areas that we never dreamed we'd be able to enter.
While I'm not in a position to award you something tangible for your effort that you can hang on a wall, I do offer you my sincere gratitude and a hardy thank you for what you've made possible for me. Once again congratulations on your achievement.
William Holley
First Sergeant, US Army, Retired
Dear Martin Brothers,
What a great honor to congratulate both of you on receiving this prestigious award of the French Legion of Honor. This is truly a memorable day for you and one that will reflect your past service to not only the French but to the United States military. As a World War II combat Veteran in Europe I can relate to the extreme circumstances in which you both participated and share the honor on which this award represents. As you receive this tribute to your achievements during a very hostile period of war in Europe, the French and the Americans proclaim to you “JOB WELL DONE!” I salute the Martin Brothers.
Gratefully yours,
Vernon N. Schmidt
Fresno, CA
90th Infantry Division
Paid In Full! by Joe Wilson, Jr.
Thursday March 30, 2007, Congress bestowed their highest civilian honor – the Congressional Gold Medal – upon the Tuskegee Airmen. The honorees, many walking with canes and others being pushed in wheel chairs converged on the Capitol Rotunda for the long overdue acknowledgement of the “unforgivable indignities” they suffered during WWII. Approximately 300 Tuskegee Airmen along with their wives, families, friends, and guests arrived at the largest such gathering to take place there. The overflowing venue gave way to an overflow area set up for this contingency.
Just to mention a few, “Flying Ace” Lee Archer arrived from New Rochelle, New York. Roscoe Brown from The Bronx, New York. Roger “Bill” Terry arrived from Los Angeles, CA. Charles McGee arrived from nearby Bethesda, MD.
Terry received a court martial for attempting to integrate the Freeman Field Officer’s Club back in 1945. He and his contemporaries, highly trained officers received treatment as “trainees” and were denied access to the base officer’s club, an act contradictory to army regulations. They saw German POWs enter facilities that they were barred from. Salutes from white subordinates were rare. Terry’s conviction stood until 1995 when reversal finally came and his military record restored. During those 50 years Terry was denied the opportunity to practice law despite having a law degree.
McGee who graduated from Tuskegee University in 1940 already had a civilian pilot’s license before he got drafted. He signed up for the Tuskegee program and became one of the first pilots of the 100th Fighter Squadron. After World War II he flew missions in Korea (100) and Vietnam (136). While he wanted to fly commercial passenger planes at that time, “the airlines weren’t ready.”
In the 1925 study, “The Use of Negro Manpower” the Army War College deemed African American “men were cowards and poor technicians and fighters, lacking initiative and resourcefulness.” This study went as far as labeling African Americans: “subspecies of the human population.” The Tuskegee Airmen were known to their enemy aboard as the “Schwartze Vogelmenshen” (Black Birdmen) and known to their enemy at home as “Eleanor Roosevelt’s Niggers.”
Against this mindset, African Americans had to fight for the “Right to Fight.” But they could not have done this alone – then and now. Just to mention a few: Lt. Gen Leslie J. McNair, Chief of the U.S. Army Ground Forces never accepted the vehement denial of the fighting qualities of the African American soldier. He believed this nation could ill afford to exclude such a potentially important source of strength. Then there was First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt who was ahead of her time regarding the equality of the races.
The late Tuskegee Airman, Celes King III, recalls how the First Lady disproved the myth that Africans Americans didn’t have the intelligence to fly nor the courage and discipline it took to fight in a war: “Of the few people that had an impact on opening up the U.S. Army Air Forces for blacks in the air, you certainly could not overlook Eleanor Roosevelt. She had a mind of her own and sat in on many instances with the President in crucial meetings. She had no reservations to raising issues she felt were in the interest of this country. There were two separate instances where she had a major impact.
"One would be when she went to Tuskegee and went to Moton Field were blacks were beginning to train. There she got into one of the aircraft and went around the field for a spin. And of course, needless to say, the secret service people just about had a fit. They were on the phone calling Washington to see what to do. There was no controlling her. The next day’s news across the country addressed the issue of her riding in a plane being flown by a Negro. It certainly did give impetus to our position.
"The other time was when she was sitting in the White House, probably the Oval Office. At that time the President and members of his military staff were discussing the situation of what they were going to do about all these white lads who were being shot out of the sky. At that time Eleanor Roosevelt stepped in and said: ‘There is no reason not to let the Negroes go over and have an opportunity to fight.’ That’s all it took.
"We were eminently qualified to fly because we had been spending a lot of time practicing. That was one of our hold cards, this is: we had more of an opportunity to practice.”
President George W. Bush and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) presented a Congressional Gold Medal to the Tuskegee Airmen collectively. This gold medal will be placed in the Smithsonian Museum and each Tuskegee Airman received a bronze replica. The history of this award goes back to George Washington, the first recipient in 1776.
This investiture became possible through legislation introduced by Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Senator Carl Levin (D-MI). During the ceremony President Bush jokingly referred to Congressman Rangel as “Sergeant.” Rangel served in the 2nd Infantry Division during the Korean War. Rangel thanked Bush for signing the award legislation and appearing at the occasion: “Your presence here makes a difference. It’s not people, it’s not politicians. It’s our great country saying, ‘thank you.’” Senator Levin remarked: “It is the ultimate act of patriotism to love your country even when that love is not reciprocated.”
Former Secretary of State, General Collin Powell lauded the Tuskegee Airmen for paving the way for him: “I know, to the depth of my heart, that the only reason I’m able to stand proudly before you today is you stood proudly for American 60 years ago. You showed America there’s nothing a black person couldn’t do… I thank you for what you have done for African Americans, but more, I think you for what you have done for Americans.”
Congresswoman Pelosi addressed the gathering: “In 1942, the African American paper, the Pittsburgh Courier, called for a double victory campaign, victory in the fight against fascism abroad and victory in the fight against racism at home. Today, we come together to pay tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, who, with planes and the power of their example, fought against both of these foes, foreign and domestic… The Tuskegee Airmen left a segregated country to fight in war, and unfortunately returned to one that was still segregated. Though Hitler was defeated, prejudice was not… Today we are trying to right that wrong.”
President Bush presented the key note address: “Thank you all. Please be seated. Thank you. Madam Speaker, Mr. Leader, members of Congress, Secretary Powell, distinguished guests: You know, the Speaker and I had the honor of having our picture taken with you, and as I walked into the rotunda, a place that occasionally I get invited up here and I walk into, I was impressed by the fact that I wasn't amongst heroes who were statues. I was impressed that I was amongst heroes who still live. (Applause.) I thank you for the honor you have brought to our country. And the medal you're about to receive means our country honors you, and rightly so.
"I want to thank Senator Carl Levin and Sergeant Rangel. (Laughter) Excuse me, Mr. Chairman. (Applause) I thank you for your leadership on this issue. I have a strong interest in World War II airmen. I was raised by one. He flew with a group of brave young men who endured difficult times in the defense of our country. Yet for all they sacrificed and all they lost, in a way, they were very fortunate, because they never had the burden of having their every mission, their every success, their every failure viewed through the color of their skin. Nobody told them they were a credit to their race. Nobody refused to return their salutes. Nobody expected them to bear the daily humiliations while wearing the uniform of their country.
"It was different for the men in this room. When America entered World War II, it might have been easy for them to do little for our country. After all, the country didn't do much for them. Even the Nazis asked why African American men would fight for a country that treated them so unfairly. Yet the Tuskegee airmen were eager to join up.
You know, I'm interested in the story about a young man who was so worried that the Army might change its mind about allowing him to fly, that he drove immediately to the train station. He left his car, as well as $1,000 worth of photography equipment. He never saw his car, he never saw his camera, but he became a flyer.
These men in our presence felt a special sense of urgency. They were fighting two wars: One was in Europe, and the other took place in the hearts and minds of our citizens. That's why we're here. The white commander of the Tuskegee airfield was once asked -- with all seriousness -- how do African Americans fly? -- reflecting the ignorance of the times, they said, how do African Americans fly? He said, 'Oh, they fly just like everybody else flies -- stick and rudder.' Soon, Americans in their kitchens and living rooms were reading the headlines. You probably didn't realize it at the time, but you were making headlines at home, headlines that spoke about daring pilots winning a common battle.
And little by little, every victory at war was translated to a victory here in the United States. And we're in the presence of men who are earning those victories, important victories, leaders who pierced the unquestioned prejudices of a different society. You gave African Americans a sense of pride and possibility.
"You saw that pride and awe, I'm sure you remember, in the faces of young children who came up to you right after the war and tugged and your uniforms and said, 'Mister, can you really fly an airplane?' Some of you have been in Germany and Iraq, and you still see that sense of pride.
"I appreciate your going. I appreciate the fact that one of our young soldiers today took pictures for -- of you for a scrapbook for his children. I appreciate the fact that one of our soldiers today said, 'It's not often that you get a chance to meet the guys who have paved the path for you.' (Applause)
"The Tuskegee Airmen helped win a war, and you helped change our nation for the better. Yours is the story of the human spirit, and it ends like all great stories do -- with wisdom and lessons and hope for tomorrow. And the medal that we confer today means that we're doing a small part to ensure that your story will be told and honored for generations to come. (Applause)
"And I would like to offer a gesture to help atone for all the unreturned salutes and unforgivable indignities. And so, on behalf of the office I hold, and a country that honors you, I salute you for the service to the United States of America." [The entire group of Tuskegee Airmen stood and returned the salute.] (Applause) (The Congressional Gold Medal was then conferred.)
Roscoe Brown and Lee Archer along with four other Tuskegee Airmen accepted the medal on behalf of the entire group.
Brown who is credited as one of the first American pilots to shoot down a German plane commented: “…We are very, very, pleased to have been in the forefront of this struggle for freedom and justice in this country and be treated fairly. We are so overjoyed. We are so proud today and I think American is proud today. Thank you very much.” (Applause)
Archer, the nation's first black ace pilot expressed satisfaction at having Congress and the President acknowledge the nation's debt for the Tuskegee Airmen's sacrifices. Archer expressed: “My comment is: 'Paid in full!'"
Sources:
Photos by Joe Wilson, Jr., except as noted
Veterans Press. Volume 21-5. February 2, 2007
Schmidt, Vern. 95th Infantry Division Association
SunHerald.com: Tuskegee Airmen Finally Honored
PBS.org: Tuskegee Airmen Awarded Congressional Gold Medal
Washingtonpost.com: A Top Honor for Soaring Achievements
Whitehouse.gov: President Bush participated in Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen.
Yahoo News: Tuskegee Airmen get Congressional Medal
The Washington Times: A Long Time Coming
Newsday.com: Bush, Congress Honor Tuskegee Airmen
Martin Brothers Featured in Book About 784th Tank Battalion
Wayne and Robert Martin, brothers from Dunbar, PA, are featured in a recently published book, The 784th Tank Battalion in World War II. The book’s author, Joseph Wilson Junior, sought out the Martin brothers as he was doing research for his book. Wilson came to Irishtown, situated in the mountains above Dunbar in Fayette County, in the summer of 2005 to interview them. While the book is about one of the first African American tank units to see front-line combat during the war, writer Wilson sought information and personal perspectives from many soldiers from other units that fought alongside and in support of the other combat forces.
Wayne and Robert (pictured left, with Wayne on the left and Robert on the right holding the book) were two of four brothers who served in the US Army – European Theatre of Operations during WWII. They are sons of Dennis and Agnes Martin of Dunbar. Wayne served as an ambulance driver, while Robert was a combat engineer. Both have fond, as well as horrific, memories of their military service - some of which are chronicled in the book. The brothers, are proud to have been interviewed by the author and to be featured in his book.
One of Wayne Martin’s quotes in the book follows: “I would at times pick up wounded at battalion aid and collection stations and deliver them to our hospital. …we could set up and pull a major operation within one hour. We would set up 2 12-by-12 tents, use one as an operating room and one as supply, sterilization ward tent until our other 6 tents arrived. I would deliver patients to the Evac hospitals.”
Robert relayed one of many stories in the book of his 208th Combat Engineer Battalion’s actions. They had placed a footbridge across the Roer River at Julich, Germany and “we all started firing from the dike we were on to the other dike where it looked like the Germans (machine gun nests) were. …the guys went across (the footbridge they had erected) . They threw hand grenades where they could see the openings in the dike and they killed the Germans.” (Nine Germans were killed in that one encounter, illustrating combat duties performed by the engineers.)
(Press release writtten by Bob Martin, son of Robert Martin.)
Click here for a related March 4, 2007, story in The Daily Courier of Connellsville, Pennsylvania.
1942 Radio Broadcast with Morris Harris
A recorded broadcast of a radio show in March of 1942 featuring Morris Harris was discovered in the Fort Knox archives and provided by Matthew Rector, Historic Preservation Specialist of the Cultural Resources Office at Fort Knox, Kentucky. At the time, Morris Harris was a 26 year old Army Corporal at Fort Knox. A resident of New York City, born in Indianapolis, Indiana, he had been in the Army for 7 months. During the radio broadcast, he is described as a member and secretary of the Ink Spots. A musical group he formed at Fort Knox sings Wham Re-Bob Boom Bam at the end of the show. Morris Harris is reported to have died in 1974 in Syracuse, New York. In the photo, left, War Correspondent Ted Stanford of the Pittsburgh Courier interviews First Sergeant Morris O. Harris of the 784th Tank Battalion.
Mr. Rector, author of the book The United States Army at Fort Knox (Arcadia Publishing, 2005), also recently provided a page from a World War II publication entitled Armoraiders, prepared by the Public Relations office of the Armored Force Replacement Training Center (AFRTC) at Fort Knox (click on the image to the left to see a larger version of the page.)
Lynne T. Hamilton-Jones Promoted to Colonel
Lynne T. Hamilton-Jones, daughter of 784 Tank Battalion veteran James Hamilton of Baltimore, is now an Air Force Colonel, after a ceremony hosted by Brigadier General Janet Wolfenbarger, held on June 30, 2006, honoring her promotion. Col. Hamilton-Jones serves as Director of the Program Management Office of the Defense Travel System. In the photo, left (by Skip Reid), James Hamilton pins the rank insignia, an eagle with outspread wings, on his daughter, with assistance from Ray Jones, her husband of 23 years. Col. Hamilton-Jones is one of but a few African-Americans among several hundred women with the rank of full bird colonel.
If you would like to contribute material to this news page, please send an e-mail message to joe@761st.com
The 2nd Annual Veterans Conference will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2009, beginning at 8 am on the 8th floor of the State Office Building, 163 West 125th Street. The keynote address at 10:15 am will be delivered by Colonel Will A. Gunn (Retired), presently General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. There will be an evening Awards Dinner. We are inviting all veterans inclusive of all engagements including the present conflicts. Note: the 3rd annual Conference is already being planned.
"My proudest moment was post war, 63 years later, when only this past August 16 & 17, 2008, we were able to hold the 1st Annual Veterans Conference in honor of those fallen and those that lived on that have not survived, especially Franklin Garrido, Simmons Washington, and LZ Anderson - great, great, great, guys. We were at least able to honor their memory and receive accolades from many elected official and others. The Department of the Army issued an apology for the treatment of the members of the 784th Tank Battalion by issuing a very commendable letter. We also received official recognition from our Congressman Charles Rangel and the governor of the state of New York, Governor David Paterson. And the City Counsel that represents the area of Harlem where the event was held on 125th Street in a famously named building, the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Building." Claude Frazier (C/784th)
The 35th Division Association held its 2008 Reunion at Springfield, Illinois, September 3-6, 2008 at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Conference Center under the leadership of 35th Division President James G. Graff, 35/134/C - WWII. Among the honored guests attending were the present commanding general, Marvin Pearson.
September 29, 2007 - The Honorary Consul of France, Jean-Pierre Collet, knighted the Martin brothers, Robert and Wayne, at the Dunbar Veterans Memorial following the Dunbar Community Fest parade.
Wayne (83) drifted back in time to when he served as an ambulance driver and aid-man for the 60th Field Hospital. He explained to us earlier: “I would at times pick up wounded at the battalion aid and collection stations and deliver them to our hospitals. To give you an idea of the size of our hospital, we could set up and pull a major operation within one hour. We would set up two 12-by-12 tents, use one as an operating room and one as supply, sterilization ward until our other six tens would arrive. I would deliver patients to the Evac hospitals. Each of the three platoons made a hospital.” During the Battle of the Bulge, just outside of Bastogne, Wayne got caught in an artillery barrage and survived by scampering underneath his ambulance. As he drove along he saw thousands of casualties: “It happened a lot of times along the highway. You helped them what you could, but that was all.” But none of this prepared him for what he soon witnessed – the Holocaust – up close and personal: “They were starving and just filthy just laying every place. We had to sort of pick them up and clean them up – thousands of dead and dying. Nothing I could do. Nothing we could do.” Technician 5th Grade Oliver “Wayne” Martin received five battle stars for service in Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe.
Terry received a court martial for attempting to integrate the Freeman Field Officer’s Club back in 1945. He and his contemporaries, highly trained officers received treatment as “trainees” and were denied access to the base officer’s club, an act contradictory to army regulations. They saw German POWs enter facilities that they were barred from. Salutes from white subordinates were rare. Terry’s conviction stood until 1995 when reversal finally came and his military record restored. During those 50 years Terry was denied the opportunity to practice law despite having a law degree.
In the 1925 study, “The Use of Negro Manpower” the Army War College deemed African American “men were cowards and poor technicians and fighters, lacking initiative and resourcefulness.” This study went as far as labeling African Americans: “subspecies of the human population.” The Tuskegee Airmen were known to their enemy aboard as the “Schwartze Vogelmenshen” (Black Birdmen) and known to their enemy at home as “Eleanor Roosevelt’s Niggers.”
The late Tuskegee Airman, Celes King III, recalls how the First Lady disproved the myth that Africans Americans didn’t have the intelligence to fly nor the courage and discipline it took to fight in a war: “Of the few people that had an impact on opening up the U.S. Army Air Forces for blacks in the air, you certainly could not overlook Eleanor Roosevelt. She had a mind of her own and sat in on many instances with the President in crucial meetings. She had no reservations to raising issues she felt were in the interest of this country. There were two separate instances where she had a major impact.
President George W. Bush and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) presented a Congressional Gold Medal to the Tuskegee Airmen collectively. This gold medal will be placed in the Smithsonian Museum and each Tuskegee Airman received a bronze replica. The history of this award goes back to George Washington, the first recipient in 1776.
Congresswoman Pelosi addressed the gathering: “In 1942, the African American paper, the Pittsburgh Courier, called for a double victory campaign, victory in the fight against fascism abroad and victory in the fight against racism at home. Today, we come together to pay tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, who, with planes and the power of their example, fought against both of these foes, foreign and domestic… The Tuskegee Airmen left a segregated country to fight in war, and unfortunately returned to one that was still segregated. Though Hitler was defeated, prejudice was not… Today we are trying to right that wrong.”
"It was different for the men in this room. When America entered World War II, it might have been easy for them to do little for our country. After all, the country didn't do much for them. Even the Nazis asked why African American men would fight for a country that treated them so unfairly. Yet the Tuskegee airmen were eager to join up.
You know, I'm interested in the story about a young man who was so worried that the Army might change its mind about allowing him to fly, that he drove immediately to the train station. He left his car, as well as $1,000 worth of photography equipment. He never saw his car, he never saw his camera, but he became a flyer.
These men in our presence felt a special sense of urgency. They were fighting two wars: One was in Europe, and the other took place in the hearts and minds of our citizens. That's why we're here. The white commander of the Tuskegee airfield was once asked -- with all seriousness -- how do African Americans fly? -- reflecting the ignorance of the times, they said, how do African Americans fly? He said, 'Oh, they fly just like everybody else flies -- stick and rudder.' Soon, Americans in their kitchens and living rooms were reading the headlines. You probably didn't realize it at the time, but you were making headlines at home, headlines that spoke about daring pilots winning a common battle.
And little by little, every victory at war was translated to a victory here in the United States. And we're in the presence of men who are earning those victories, important victories, leaders who pierced the unquestioned prejudices of a different society. You gave African Americans a sense of pride and possibility.
"You saw that pride and awe, I'm sure you remember, in the faces of young children who came up to you right after the war and tugged and your uniforms and said, 'Mister, can you really fly an airplane?' Some of you have been in Germany and Iraq, and you still see that sense of pride.
Wayne and Robert (pictured left, with Wayne on the left and Robert on the right holding the book) were two of four brothers who served in the US Army – European Theatre of Operations during WWII. They are sons of Dennis and Agnes Martin of Dunbar. Wayne served as an ambulance driver, while Robert was a combat engineer. Both have fond, as well as horrific, memories of their military service - some of which are chronicled in the book. The brothers, are proud to have been interviewed by the author and to be featured in his book.
1942 Radio Broadcast with Morris Harris
Lynne T. Hamilton-Jones, daughter of 784 Tank Battalion veteran James Hamilton of Baltimore, is now an Air Force Colonel, after a ceremony hosted by Brigadier General Janet Wolfenbarger, held on June 30, 2006, honoring her promotion. Col. Hamilton-Jones serves as Director of the Program Management Office of the Defense Travel System. In the photo, left (by Skip Reid), James Hamilton pins the rank insignia, an eagle with outspread wings, on his daughter, with assistance from Ray Jones, her husband of 23 years. Col. Hamilton-Jones is one of but a few African-Americans among several hundred women with the rank of full bird colonel.