Special KWVA "W in Your Dream Vacation Fund-Raiser" Information ...

Feedback/Return Fire
60
This section of The Graybeards is designed to provide feedback—and generate more feedback. It gives readers the opportunity to respond
to printed stories, letters, points of view, etc., without having to write long-winded replies. Feel free to respond to whatever you see in the
magazine. As long as it’s tasteful and non-political, we will be happy to include it. If you want to submit ideas, criticisms, etc. that you prefer
not to see in print— with your name attached to it—then we will honor that. Make sure to let us know, though.
Mail your “Return Fire” to the “Feedback Editor” at 152 Sky View Drive, Rocky Hill, CT 06067-2859. E-mail it to:
sharp_arthur_g@sbcglobal.net, or phone it in to (860) 563-6149. Whatever the medium you choose, we welcome your input.
More feedback on African-Americans in Korea
(See Jan/Feb 2009, p. 65 & March/April 2009, p. 60)
I volunteered for service in August 1950. I joined the Army.
In late December or early January 1951 I was already in Korea.
The company I was in was all Black. We had one Black lieutenant.
All other officers were white.
I was vaguely familiar with President Truman’s [1948] order to
integrate services. (See the copy nearby.) We received two White
soldiers in December 1951.
I was first hit by small arms fire in March 1951, and hospitalized
in Japan. Back in Korea, I was struck by artillery fire in
September 1951. I received my Oak Leaf Cluster at that time.
I left Korea in January 1952.
Lionel J. Bowsky,
P. O. Box 209166,
Chicago, IL 60629
I would like to clear up this question
The 3rd Bn. 9th RCT started to form in February 1948 at Ft.
Lewis, WA. I had re-enlisted after one year out of the Navy, and
was one of the first Black soldiers to report to the regiment.
I Co. was the first company formed. HQS Co. was the next to
be formed. When HQS Co. was formed, I was transferred from I
Co. to HQS Co.
The 3rd Bn. 9th RCT consisted of HQS, I, K, L, and M
Companies—all Black. We were shipped out of Olympia, WA in
July 1950, and landed in Pusan on 1 August 1950.
We remained an all-Black battalion until the Kun-ri trap, which
was on 30 Nov. 1950.
William McGee, USA (Ret),
2941 N. Governeour #115,
Wichita, KS 67226
There were no African-Americans in the 23rd
Regt. at the time
A letter from Michael Czuboka in the March-April Graybeards
stated that 68 African-American soldiers from the 23rd Infantry
Regiment were killed by the Chinese on Feb. 14, 1951. I was
assigned to “K” Co 23rd Reg., 2nd Infantry Division from August,
1950 until July, 1951. To my recollection, there were no African-
American soldiers in the 23rd Regiment during that time.
The 23rd Regiment and the French battalion were encircled by
the Chinese at Chipyong-ni on Feb. 12, 1951. We were rescued by
“L” Co, 5th Cavalry of the 1st Cavalry Division about 8 days later.
The bodies Mr. Czuboka saw were most likely members of “E”
EXECUTIVE ORDER 9981
Establishing the President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and
Opportunity In the Armed Forces.
WHEREAS it is essential that there be maintained in the armed services of
the United States the highest standards of democracy, with equality of treatment
and opportunity for all those who serve in our country’s defense:
NOW THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the
United States, by the Constitution and the statutes of the United States, and
as Commander in Chief of the armed services, it is hereby ordered as follows:
1. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be
equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services
without regard to race, color, religion or national origin. This policy shall be
put into effect as rapidly as possible, having due regard to the time required
to effectuate any necessary changes without impairing efficiency or morale.
2. There shall be created in the National Military Establishment an advisory
committee to be known as the President’s Committee on Equality of
Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services, which shall be composed
of seven members to be designated by the President.
3. The Committee is authorized on behalf of the President to examine into
the rules, procedures and practices of the Armed Services in order to determine
in what respect such rules, procedures and practices may be altered
or improved with a view to carrying out the policy of this order. The
Committee shall confer and advise the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary
of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary of the Air Force,
and shall make such recommendations to the President and to said
Secretaries as in the judgment of the Committee will effectuate the policy
hereof.
4. All executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government are
authorized and directed to cooperate with the Committee in its work, and to
furnish the Committee such information or the services of such persons as
the Committee may require in the performance of its duties.
5. When requested by the Committee to do so, persons in the armed services
or in any of the executive departments and agencies of the Federal
Government shall testify before the Committee and shall make available for
use of the Committee such documents and other information as the
Committee may require.
6. The Committee shall continue to exist until such time as the President
shall terminate its existence by Executive order.
Harry Truman
The White House
July 26, 1948
May – June 2009
The Graybeards