>> IF YOU WERE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN SOLDIER IN
WORLD WAR II YOU WERE FACING A FIGHT ON TWO FRONTS, A FIGHT
AGAINST FASCISM IN EUROPE AND AGAINST THE JAPANESE IN THE
PACIFIC, BUT YOU WERE ALSO FIGHTING DISCRIMINATION BACK
HOME.
>> IN 1943, THE U.S. MILITARY DEVELOPED NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR
AFRICAN AMERICAN SOLDIERS TO TRAIN AS FIGHTER PILOTS AT THE
TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE IN ALABAMA. WITHIN MONTHS, BLACK FIGHTER
PILOTS HAVE OVERCOME SEGREGATION AT HOME IN ORDER TO LEARN TO
ESCORT BOMBERS ON MANY SUCCESSFUL RUNS THROUGH WAR-TORN
EUROPE. THEIR SUCCESS INSPIRED
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGED THE MILITARY TO FORM
A SQUADRON OF BLACK BOMBER PILOTS.
>> THE 477 BOMBARDMENT GROUP WAS FORMED IN ORDER FOR AFRICAN
AMERICAN PILOTS AND CREW MEMBERS TO FLY THE M BOMBERS.
>> THE GROUP WAS STATIONED FOR TRAINING AT FREEMAN FIELD IN
SEYMOUR, INDIANA IN THE SPRING OF 1945.
IT WAS DURING THIS TRAINING THAT THE BLACK OFFICERS AND MEN OF
THE 477th EXPERIENCED SEGREGATION ON A MILITARY BASE.
>> OFFICERS CLUBS WERE SEGREGATED.
THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GO INTO AND ENJOY THE FACILITIES OF THE
WHITE OFFICERS CLUBS. THIS FLEW IN THE FACE OF WAR
DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS AT THAT TIME THAT SAID ALL RECREATIONAL
FACILITIES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE REGARDLESS OF RACE.
>> ON APRIL 5th AND 6th 1945 THE MEN OF THE 477th
DETERMINED TO EXPOSE THE DISCRIM NARY PRACTICES AT FREEMAN FIELD
AND SPHAIDGED A PEACEFUL PROTEST WITH SMALL GROUPS OF BLACK
OFFICERS APPROACHING THE CLUB, 8, 10, 12 MEN AT A TIME, AND
ATTEMPTED TO ENTER THE CLUB. >> DURING THIS TWO-DAY PERIOD, A
TOTAL OF 61 MEN OF THE 477th APPROACHED THE OFFICERS CLUB,
WERE TURNED AWAY, AND WERE EVENTUALLY ARRESTED AND PUT IN
THEIR QUARTERS. THEY COULD BE, OF COURSE,
CHARGED WITH A CRIME IN THE MILITARY OF MUTINY, AND THERE
WERE VERY GRAVE CONSEQUENCES IF THEY WERE EVENTUALLY
COURT-MARTIALED, CONVICTED, THEY COULD FACE EVEN THE DEATH
PENALTY. SO WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS
RISKING THEIR OWN LIVES FOR MANY OF THEM IN STANDING UP AGAINST
WHAT THEY SAW AS AN UNFAIR SITUATION.
>> THE BASE COMMANDER DEMANDED THAT EVERY OFFICER OF THE
477th SIGN A FORM THAT WOULD RECOGNIZE AND LEGALIZE THE
SEGREGATED PRACTICES ON THE BASE.
WHEN EVERY BLACK OFFICER REFUSED TO SIGN, ALL 101 OFFICERS AND
MEN OF THE 477th WERE ARRESTED, A MOVE THAT SENT A
SHOCKWAVE THROUGH THE AMERICAN MILITARY AND U.S. SOCIETY AS A
WHOLE.
>> EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS, NEWSPAPERS,
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS GET WIND OF THIS, THERE'S A PROTEST TO THE
WAR DEPARTMENT, AND FINALLY CHIEF OF STAFF GENERAL GEORGE C.
MARSHALL FREED THE MEN FROM THE 477th AND JUST A FEW YEARS
AFTER THE END OF THE WAR, 1948, PRESIDENT TRUEMAN MADE THE
COURAGEOUS DECISION TO FULLY INTEGRATE THE ARMED FORCES, AND
I THINK THE PILOTS OF THE 477th COULD LOOK TO THEIR
ACTION AS MAYBE HELPING PAVE THE WAY FOR THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER,
AND IT WAS KIND OF A SERVICE AS ALMOST -- SERVED ALMOST AS A
TRAINING GROUND FOR WHAT CAME NEXT FOR THE GROWTH OF CIVIL
RIGHTS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN THE UNITED
STATES AFTER THE WAR ENDED.