J_Andrews Posted December 10, 2009 Share #26 Posted December 10, 2009 I spoke with several veterans of the 366th Inf Regt in 1990, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Airborne. All of the 10-15 men I encountered had been in high school ROTC in either Washington DC or Chicago. According to them, the 366th was "at war with the Army" from its pre-Pearl Harbor days at Ft Devens MA. The cause of this was that they were TOO GOOD. Unlike the other "black" inf regts, it had nearly all black officers, and (worse still) they were competent and motivated. As of 1941, most of them were college graduates. After Pearl Harbor, the regt was assigned to the Eastern Defense Command -- split up into geographically dispersed companies and even platoons "guarding" seacoast installations and routes; they were dispersed, according to the vets, as punishment for being "uppity" and for off-duty too-obvious presence in Boston, NYC and other NE towns. In this period many tried to transfer out and/or go to courses required for promotion. When sent overseas, they were again split up, to guard airfields and supply dumps. Their treatment became a political hot potato, and Fifth Army began shipping out officers and NCOs to black service units. THEN the regt -- incomplete and with no collective training in over a year -- was called upon to "save" the 92nd Inf Div (with the 473rd "Flak Feet" and 442nd). But once again they were dismissed as "uppity" and most of its company grade officers scattered, either within the 92nd or to the service units. Again according to the vets, an inordinate number of 366th officers later: 1. served in the 82nd when it integrated, either in the 555th until 1948 or throughout the Div during the Korean War 2. went on to distinguished civilian careers as judges, lawyers, educators, and medical types, or 3. both. They attended the Airborne reunion as an identifiable group, wearing 366th crest neckties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
124cav Posted December 16, 2009 Share #27 Posted December 16, 2009 511th QM Company(pack) in Australia about 1943 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
124cav Posted December 16, 2009 Share #28 Posted December 16, 2009 A nice portrait of a cavalry man,the magic and mystique of the Buffalo soldiers of Indian wars fame doesnt carry over somehow to modern living historians Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
124cav Posted December 16, 2009 Share #29 Posted December 16, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
124cav Posted December 16, 2009 Share #30 Posted December 16, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
124cav Posted December 16, 2009 Share #31 Posted December 16, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyer333555 Posted January 16, 2010 Share #32 Posted January 16, 2010 Capa, The photos you've seen from D-Day do show Black soldiers, but just not from the same unit as the white soldiers. There was an all black barrage balloon battalion which landed on D-Day (in fact this was the only unit to land on both Omaha and Utah beaches) and also there were port battalions who both loaded troops for D-day and worked on the beaches afterward. Just remember that all of the Infantry and Artillery and Armored units landing on D-Day were unfortunately all white. I've re-enacted with several black re-enactors but there really should be more IMHO. Tom Bowers 93rd Engineer General Service Regiment (Colored): Alcan Highway 95th Engineer Regiment (Colored): same 97th Engineer General Service Regiment (Colored): same 388th Engineer General Service Regiment (Colored): Canol Highway The Alcan Highway also was constructed by some White engineer regiments... Alcan Highway was the highway from the US to Alaska through Canada which still exists today. Canol Highway was a highway from Alcan Hwy to a Canadian town, parts of it still exist today. 320th AAA Barrage Balloon Battalion (Very Low Altitude) (Colored): The barrage balloon battalion that landed on Omaha/Utah in Normandy. Take care, Luis R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbinephalen Posted February 23, 2013 Share #33 Posted February 23, 2013 Thought I would revamp this one! I found this online tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battlebaby99 Posted February 26, 2013 Share #34 Posted February 26, 2013 There is the 99th I.D. 5TH paltoon that is part of my unit, the 99th Infantry Division. They are from Eastern PA, NY,NJ and DC. They are a excellent reenactor unit. They attend our Bridge at Remagen 1945 event in Tidioute ,Pa every year. Art Collins is their leader. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJohn#3RD Posted February 26, 2013 Share #35 Posted February 26, 2013 That is very cool and good to know. Thanks for the update. Regards, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPage Posted March 7, 2013 Share #36 Posted March 7, 2013 " ahm sorry boss but we found ourselves some white tail in that last village !" Yeah I guess that's appropriate for the current narrative about WWII... As for blacks being "relegated" to service and support units, it stands to reason that there would've been greater numbers in such units, considering the tooth-to-tail ratio in the army. I'm indeed aware of America's history regarding race but much of this stuff is overblown, IMO. In today's volunteer army, blacks disproportionately serve in support units. Nothing wrong with it either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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