Saluting my Ancestors & their place in History

E_Pluribus_Venom · #1 (**permalink**) 06-23-2008, 05:45 AM

In an effort to bring light to the accomplishments of our country, I've chosen to do so by recognizing members of my family who have defended their country with unbelievable courage, merit, and honor. I've chosen to not only recognize them, but the regiments from which they came... and their place in History as excellent additions to our fighting forces. As a current member of the United States Armed Forces, I salute you... and your fallen comrades.

Sgt. Walter Coley IV - Buffalo Soldier

Quote:

How the name was est.
Sources disagree on how the nickname "buffalo soldiers" began. According to the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, the name originated with the Cheyenne warriors in 1867, the actual Cheyenne translation being "Wild Buffalo." However, writer Walter Hill documented the account of Colonel Benjamin Grierson, who founded the 10th Cavalry regiment, recalling an 1871 campaign against the Comanche tribe. Hill attributed the origin of the name to the Comanche due to Grierson's assertions. There is some controversy as to where the name originated. Some sources assert that the nickname was given out of respect for the fierce fighting ability of the 10th cavalry. Other sources assert that Native Americans called the black cavalry troops "buffalo soldiers" because of their dark curly hair, which resembled a buffalo's coat. Still other sources point to a combination of both legends. The term Buffalo Soldiers became a generic term for all African-American soldiers. It is now used for U.S. Army units that trace their direct lineage back to the 9th and 10th Cavalry, units whose bravery earned them an honored place in U.S. history.

18 total Medal of Honor recepients
From 1866 to the early 1890s, these regiments served at a variety of posts in the Southwestern United States(Apache Wars) and Great Plains regions. They participated in most of the military campaigns in these areas and earned a distinguished record. Thirteen enlisted men and six officers from these four regiments earned the Medal of Honor during the Indian Wars. In addition to the military campaigns, the "Buffalo Soldiers" served a variety of roles along the frontier from building roads to escorting the U.S. mail.

Buffalo Soldier Memorial of El Paso, in Fort Bliss, depicting CPL John Ross, I Troop, 9th Cavalry, during an encounter in the Guadalupe Mountains during the Indian WarsAfter the Indian Wars ended in the 1890s, the regiments continued to serve and participated in the Spanish-American War (including the Battle of San Juan Hill), where five more Medals of Honor were earned. They took part in the 1916 Punitive Expedition into Mexico and in the Philippine-American War.

Fighting despite racial prejudice
The "Buffalo Soldiers" were often confronted with racial prejudice from other members of the U.S. Army. Civilians in the areas where the soldiers were stationed occasionally reacted to them with violence. Buffalo Soldiers were attacked in racial disturbances in:

Rio Grande City, Texas in 1899
Brownsville, Texas in 1906
Houston, Texas in 1917

Clarence Harding - Tuskegee Airmen

Quote:

How the name was est.
The Tuskegee Airmen was the popular name of a group of African American pilots who flew with distinction during World War II as the 332nd Fighter Group of the US Army Air Corps. Prior to the Tuskegee Airmen, no U.S. military pilots had been black. A series of legislative moves by the United States Congress in 1941 forced the Army Air Corps to form an all-black combat unit, despite the War Department's reluctance. In an effort to eliminate the unit before it could begin, the War Department set up a system to accept only those with a level of flight experience or higher education that they expected would be hard to fill. This policy backfired when the Air Corps received an abundance of applications from men who qualified even under these restrictive specifications.

In June 1941, the Tuskegee program officially began with formation of the 99th Fighter Squadron at the Tuskegee Institute, a highly regarded university founded by Lewis Adams in Tuskegee, Alabama.[3] The unit consisted of an entire service arm, including ground crew. After basic training at Moton Field, they were moved to the nearby Tuskegee Army Air Field about 16 km (10 miles) to the west for conversion training onto operational types. The Airmen were placed under the command of Capt. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., one of the few African American West Point graduates. His father Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. was the first black general in the U.S. Army.

Accomplishments
Flying escort for heavy bombers, the 332nd racked up an impressive combat record. Reportedly, the Luftwaffe awarded the Airmen the nickname, "Schwarze Vogelmenschen," or "Black Birdmen." The Allies called the Airmen "Redtails" or "Redtail Angels," because of the distinctive crimson paint on the vertical stabilizers of the unit's aircraft. Although bomber groups would request Redtail escort when possible, few bomber crew members knew at the time that the Redtails were black.[citation needed]

Pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group, "Tuskegee Airmen," the elite, all-African American 332nd Fighter Group at Ramitelli, Italy. From left to right, Lt. Dempsey W. Morgan, Lt. Carroll S. Woods, Lt. Robert H. Nelron, Jr., Capt. Andrew D. Turner and Lt. Clarence P. Lester. A B-25 bomb group, the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium), was forming in the U.S. but completed its training too late to see action. The 99th Fighter Squadron after its return to the United States became part of the 477th, redesignated the 477th Composite Group.

By the end of the war, the Tuskegee Airmen were credited with 109 Luftwaffe aircraft shot down,[6] the German-operated Italian destroyer TA-23 sunk by machine-gun fire, and destruction of numerous fuel dumps, trucks and trains. The squadrons of the 332nd FG flew more than 15,000 sorties on 1,500 missions. The unit received recognition through official channels and was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission flown March 24, 1945, escorting B-17s to bomb the Daimler-Benz tank factory at Berlin, Germany, an action in which its pilots were credited with destroying three Me-262 jets, all belonging to the Luftwaffe's all-jet Jagdgeschwader 7, in aerial combat that day, despite the American unit initially claiming 11 Me 262s on that particular mission.[7] However on examing German records, JG 7 records just four Me 262s were lost and all of the pilots survived.[8] In return the 463rd Bomb Group, one of the many B-17 groups the 322nd were escorting, lost two bombers.[9] The 322nd themselves lost three P-51s during the mission.[10] The bombers also made substantial claims, making it impossible to tell which units were responsible for those individual four kills. The 99th Fighter Squadron in addition received two DUCs, the second after its assignment to the 332nd FG.[5] The Tuskegee Airmen were awarded several Silver Stars, 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 8 Purple Hearts, 14 Bronze Stars and 744 Air Medals.

In all, 992 pilots were trained in Tuskegee from 1940 to 1946; about 445 deployed overseas, and 150 Airmen lost their lives in accidents or combat.

The level of professionalism you displayed.. not only in the face of your combatting enemy, but those you defended... earnes your placement in History as some of the most incredible individuals to walk on American soil. No matter how often some attempt to discredit the contributions & accomplishments of blacks in America... none can ever say you didn't sacrifice it all for a greater good. Your experiences can't be imagine, debated, or erased... my hat is off to you.

giminy123 · #2 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008, 04:48 PM

Excellent post.

KSigMason · #3 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 04:50 PM

Ever been Fort Huachuca, Venom?

E_Pluribus_Venom · #4 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSigMason

Ever been Fort Huachuca, Venom?

that's that intel training center isn't it? No I haven't been, I'm not Army...I have heard the name though.

Herkdriver · #5 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E_Pluribus_Venom

that's that intel training center isn't it? No I haven't been, I'm not Army...I have heard the name though.

It is, but there is also a Military museum. I'm sure there are displays regarding the Buffalo soldiers; personally I've never been there though.

submarinepainter · #6 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 07:55 AM

who the Black navy diver , he was a tough SOB!! They made a movie about him

Herkdriver · #7 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by submarinepainter

who the Black navy diver , he was a tough SOB!! They made a movie about him

Carl Brashear

submarinepainter · #8 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 09:33 AM

Brashear was born in Tonieville, Larue County, Kentucky, the child of sharecroppers.[1]

[edit] U.S. Navy career
Brashear enlisted in the U.S. Navy on February 25, 1948, shortly after the Navy had desegregated. He graduated from diving school in 1954, becoming a U.S. Navy Diver.[1] He was not the first African-American U.S. Navy diver; he was, however, the first to attend and graduate from U.S. Navy Diving & Salvage School. In World War II there were 3 African-American U.S. Navy divers; however, none reached the status of U.S. Navy Master Diver. Master Chief Brashear was the first African-American U.S. Navy Master Diver. He was also the first amputee diver to be certified or recertified as a U.S. Navy diver.

[edit] Leg amputation and recovery
In January 1966, a hydrogen bomb was lost off the coast of Palomares, Spain after two U.S. Air Force planes collided during a refueling attempt, the Palomares hydrogen bombs incident. The Navy was called in to find and recover the bomb; and after 2-1/2 months of searching, the bomb was found.[2] On March 23, 1966, during recovery operations, a line used for towing broke loose, causing a pipe to strike Brashear's left leg below the knee, nearly shearing it off.[3] He was evacuated to Torrejon Air Base in Spain, then to Wiesbaden, Germany; and finally to the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia. After persistent infections and necrosis, and facing years of recovery, Brashear convinced his doctors to amputate the lower portion of his leg. [2]

Brashear remained at the Naval Regional Medical Center in Portsmouth from May 1966 until March 1967 recovering and rehabilitating from the amputations. From March 1967 to March 1968, Senior Chief Brashear was assigned to the Harbor Clearance Unit Two, Diving School, preparing for return to full active duty and diving.[4] In April 1968, after a long struggle, he became the first amputee to be certified as a diver. In 1970, he became the first African-American U.S. Navy Master Diver, and served 10 more years beyond that, eventually achieving the rank of Master Chief Boatswain's Mate in 1971.[1][5]
God Bless him!

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