European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 9, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                When . Forces were committed to Korea the had policies of equal treatment but not full lion. Some units that went to Korea were All like the 24th inf regt. In others Blacks were to White units because manpower was thin. Bymkj-1951, Blacks made up 13.5 percent of the Force it 80 percent of them were in All Black units. Two out of Blacks worked in service support units. During and after the conflict allegations circulated m the 24th inf regt had panicked and withdrawn " 8m Forward positions in mid-1950. Racial plan talons were rpt offered for White units forced Toxi raw the history says. By 1954, the last All Black unit had been disbanded advisers i of Tje Effort to recruit them starts at is Herald. Old Trie  Chain of Black has been studied to see whether their s gave them a Chance to Excel whether rated served with other Blacks and _ it might be behind Many Black officers decision heave Tow Bervice before they reach the 0-5 level. Bob aka Are about 6.7 percent of . A graduates the services should be Able to a Taw to that proportion of Black officers up. Old the Pentagon does not Deal in quotas j often results in bringing in the wrong a you go for the numbers. In two years you just recruiting problem for a retention problem / i sept 30,1985, statistics from the r data Center showed Blacks i percent of about 309,000 officers including i and 21 percent of 1.8 million enlisted Ftp percent of about 110,000 army officers and Pacent of 686,000 soldiers. Pm percent of about 108,000 air Force officers .17 percent of about 488,000 airmen. Percent of about 20.000 Marine officers and t of about 178,000 enlisted marines. To percent of about 70.000 naval officers and up Ament of about 495,000 sailors. Black valor w Hether Blacks could or would fight was an Issue in the american Milita Ryas recently As the Start of world War ii defense department history says. But lacks have won at least 75 medals of Honor the highest . Award for bravery in Battle. The medal was created in the civil War and 1,523 medals were awarded As a result of action in that conflict. Twenty three went to Black soldiers and sailors. The first Black to receive the medal of Honor was army sgt. William Carney co a 54th Massachusetts inf coloured. Carney s unit was part of the assault on fort Wagner. S.c., on july 18, 1863. When the company s colors bearer was shot Carney grabbed the Flag before it hit the ground. He moved to the front of the column and led the Advance under Musket and Cannon fire. He was wounded twice before returning to Friendly lines without giving up the Flag. After the end of the War 17 Black soldiers receive the medal for service in the american West. Four were members of the 50-Man Seminole negro India scouts. While the army was fighting the Indian campaigns from 1866 to 1890 and the Spanish american War in1898, the Navy was patrolling the seas. It was involved in a skirmish in Korea and made Goodwill stops in ports around the Globe. One Hundred Twenty two people received the medal during that period including seven Blacks. Most were recognized for saving fellow Crew members from drowning. In cub Mack won six of the 52 medals  of the men were credited with voluntarily going ashore to Aid comrades after previous Rescue attempts had failed. One Hundred eighteen medals were awarded during world War i but none went to Blacks. Only about 10 percent of All Black soldiers saw combat during that War and half of them were attached to French units. The most decorated Blacks of world War i were pets. Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts 369th  at an observation Post in a no Man s land the two were surrounded by a German raiding party. Although wounded they fought off the enemy with rifles grenades and a knife killing four an wounding 32. No Black won the medal in world War ii either although 431 awards went to others. This disparity was the result of very limited combat experience and White perceptions of Black  the Dod publication states. About 13 percent of . Forces during the korean War were Black and 40 percent of those saw combat. Of 131medals awarded for valor in Korea two went to Blacks. Sgt. Cornelius Charlton co a 24th inf regt 25th inf div won the medal for rallying his unit after its Leader was killed and spearheading an assault against a Hill held by the enemy. Pfc. William Thompson of co m of the same regiment set up his machine gun in the path of a Surprise enemy attack giving fellow troops time to withdraw to a More defensible position. Both medal winners lost their lives. In Vietnam combat the nation s highest military Honor was awarded to 154 army sold leis and 66 marines. Of those 15 soldiers and five marines were Black. At least 12 of the men died throwing themselves Between their comrades and exploding grenades or Booby traps. From Stock Amer town in Otto not at our Nullon and Black enlistments grew with elimination of the quota system. The decision to use draftees not National guard or Reserve troops to meet the needs of the Vietnam War led to a disproportionate number of Blacks entering the armed forces. Blacks became 16 percent of the Force although they were Only 11 percent of the . Population. The history blames the higher percentage on an  Blacks on draft boards and the inability of Many Blacks to qualify for College deferments. Once in Blacks tended to stay longer and to Volunteer More for airborne or cavalry units and they took More than their share of casualties even though for the first time units were fully integrated. The expectations of Blacks in the military Rose with civil rights gains in the civilian Community and increased with the racial Pride generated in part by the Black Power movement of the 1960s. When those expectations were frustrated or ran counter to those of Many White soldiers the result sometimes was violence on military installations. The draft ended in the Early 1870�, and since then discussion has entered on the make up and Quality of the All Volunteer Force. Critics including Lawrence Korb former assistant Secretary of defense for manpower have complained that the All Volunteer Force is too Black too female to dumb and too expensive. B Lack men and women made up 16.9percentol the Active duty Force As of sept 30, statistics from the defense data manpower Center show. The statistical. Abstract of the United states says Blacks were about 12 percent of the resident . Population through 1984,. Col. Pete Wyro a Pentagon spokesman on personnel issues said the defense department cannot worry about whether the racial composition of the Force notches that of . Society unless it can be show that the difference affects readiness. We have to Jook at it As a Federal Agency with a specific Mission and get the Best possible personnel into the ranks to fulfil that Mission he said. In 1981, defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger signed a memo paying equal Opportunity and readiness Are linked. The memo required each service to take Steps to reduce the likelihood that Blacks and other minority group military members suffer discrimination based on race color or ethnic background. A decade earlier commanders were Given authority to deny Access to bases or impose other sanctions against organizations that discriminate. A task Force examined discrimination on military Justice and recommended attacking discrimination in military institutions. A race relations policy Board and the defense race relations Institute were born. The defense department saw that equal Opportunity in housing played a part in meeting re enlistment goals and in 1972 commanders were ordered to fight housing discrimination on base and in surrounding communities when it affected service families. Us oct Amerl ctn la often of our Noton army  n Umbon Euada it Trad the Arm a foot during in vol Nam period. The stars and stripes Page 15