The Black Submariner - The “Silent Server” of the Silent Service

[jeffs1130]

 

Chief Steward Colston (1922-2017)

 

Born the son of sharecroppers in Florida, Colston joined the Navy in May 1944. Like all African-Americans in the Navy, Colston was limited to serving in the Stewards Branch.

 

Colston was a Plankowner on the newly commissioned USS Lionfish. He served as Stewards Mate, along with another African-American Sailor. He earned a Submarine Combat Insignia with 2 Stars. According to the book “Black Submarines in the US Navy 1940-1975" by Glenn Knoblock, Colston served on the Torpedo Reload Gang during Battle-Station Action. His fellow Stewards Mate, Lewis Jones served as an Ammunition Passer.

 

Following WWII, Colston was promoted to Steward 3c. He would go on to serve aboard the USS Pomfret… In 1948, while on the USS Pomfret, Colston meet and served a newly assigned Ensign named James Earl Carter Jr. (39th President of the United States).

 

Colston would go on to serve proundly as a Steward on several other submarines including the USS Besugo, USS Trigger, & USS Cervalle. Chief Colston would end his long service working at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, now known as Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

 

Chief Steward Colston served from 1944 to 1965, during the course of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. He earned a Good Conduct Medal with 6^th Awards.

~Fair Winds and Following Seas Chief Colston~

 

 

Crew of the USS Lionfish, Colston is obviously the only African-American pictured…

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Crew of the USS Lionfish, Colston and Jones pictured (Rear Upper Left Corner)

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[jeffs1130]

(I found this pic online without any source credit given... If you know the source I will add it)

 

[Reforger]

Very interesting dog tags indeed! Great you have all that background information.

[USdog]

That is very neat!

[ww2marine]

Very Cool!