Black Soldier White Army

The history of the 24th Infantry regiment in Korea is a difficult one, both for the veterans of the unit & for the Army. This book tells both what happened to the 24th Infantry, & why it happened. The Army must be aware of the corrosive effects of segregation & the racial prejudices that accompanied it. The consequences of the system crippled the trust & mutual confidence so necessary among the soldiers & leaders of combat units & weakened the bonds that held the 24th together, producing profound effects on the battlefield. Tables, maps & illustrations.

The story of the 24th Infantry Regiment in Korea is a difficult one, both for the veterans of the unit and for the Army. In the early weeks of the Korean War, most American military units experienced problems as the U.S. Army attempted to transform understrength, ill-equipped, and inadequately trained forces into an effective combat team while at the same time holding back the fierce attacks of an aggressive and well-prepared opponent. In addition to the problems other regiments faced in Korea, the 24th Infantry also had to overcome the effects of racial prejudice. Ultimately the soldiers of the regiment, despite steadfast courage on the part of many, paid the price on the battlefield for the attitudes and misguided policies of the Army and their nation. Several previously published histories have discussed what happened to the 24th Infantry. This book tells why it happened. In doing so, it offers important lessons for today's Army. The Army and the nation must be aware of the corrosive effects of segregation and the racial prejudices that accompanied it. The consequences of that system crippled the trust and mutual confidence so necessary among the soldiers and leaders of combat units and weakened the bonds that held the 24th together, producing profound effects on the battlefield. I urge the reader to study and reflect on the insights provided in the chapters that follow. We must ensure that the injustices and misfortunes that befell the 24th never occur again.

The story of the 24th Infantry Regiment in Korea is a difficult one, both for the veterans of the unit and for the Army. In the early weeks of the Korean War, most American military units experienced problems as the U.S. Army attempted to transform understrength, ill-equipped, and inadequately trained forces into an effective combat team while at the same time holding back the fierce attacks of an aggressive and well-prepared opponent. In addition to the problems other regiments faced in Korea, the 24th Infantry also had to overcome the effects of racial prejudice. Ultimately the soldiers of the regiment, despite steadfast courage on the part of many, paid the price on the battlefield for the attitudes and misguided policies of the Army and their nation. Several previously published histories have discussed what happened to the 24th Infantry. This book tells why it happened. In doing so, it offers important lessons for today's Army. The Army and the nation must be aware of the corrosive effects of segregation and the racial prejudices that accompanied it. The consequences of that system crippled the trust and mutual confidence so necessary among the soldiers and leaders of combat units and weakened the bonds that held the 24th together, producing profound effects on the battlefield. We must ensure that the injustices and misfortunes that befell the 24th never occur again.

Black Soldier, White Army is a powerful, unvarnished account of the experiences of the African American 24th Infantry regiment, which was stigmatized for its deficiencies while its accomplishments passed largely into oblivion. William T. Bowers, William M. Hammond, and George L. MacGarrigle reveal that the 24th suffered from a virulent racial prejudice that ate incessantly at the bonds of unit cohesion and that hindered the emergence of effective leadership. The story takes its place in a growing body of literature that details the service of African Americans to their nation. It offers profound lessons for study and reflection by unit leaders in today's Army.

CMH 70-65-1. By william T. Bowers, et al. Analyzes the operations of the all black 24th Infantry during the Korean War to determine how well the unit and its associated engineers and artillery performed. Asks whether deficiencies occurred. Seeks their military causes. Looks at how those influences and events intersected with the racial prejudices prevalent in that day. Gives a brief history of the service of black soldiers in the Civil War and World War 1.

Tells the story of the all-black 24th Infantry Regiment (IR) in Korea. In late Sept. 1950, two months after the beginning of the Korean War, the commander of the 25th IR, requested that the 8th Army disband the 24th IR because it had shown itself "untrustworthy and incapable of carrying out missions expected of an IR.". Critics of the racially segregated IR have charged that the 24th was a dismal failure in combat. The veterans of the org. responded that the unit did far better than its antagonists would concede and that its main problem was the racial prejudice endemic to the Army of that day. Historians cited the lack of training and preparation afflicting all of the U.S. Army units entering combat during the early weeks of the Korean War. Charts, tables and maps.