[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 155 (Friday, December 15, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2191-E2193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 REMEMBERING THE FORGOTTEN OF THE FORGOTTEN WAR: AFRICAN AMERICANS IN 
                                 KOREA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CORRINE BROWN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 15, 2000

  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, September 13-16, 2000 marked the 
30th anniversary of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) 
Legislative Conference, the most significant socio-political gathering 
in the country to discuss issues of importance to the African American 
community. On September 15, 2000 Representative Sanford Bishop, Jr. (D-
GA) and I convened, in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the 
Korean War Commemoration, another well attended, although highly 
emotional, 12th Annual Veterans Braintrust forum entitled: 
``Remembering the Forgotten of the Forgotten War: African Americans in 
Korea.''
  For the past several years my distinguished friend and colleague 
Sanford Bishop, Jr. and I have hosted the Annual Veterans Braintrust 
during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Legislative Conference 
because we both care a great deal about the well-being of America's 
veterans. Nevertheless, this year I was overwhelmed to be in the room 
with so many true heroes, and spoke for all my colleagues in thanking 
them for their service to this great nation. It makes me very proud 
that the Veterans Braintrust is one of the best attended forums during 
the Annual Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference. This 
year's event was particularly important because of the limited time we 
have to set the record straight on the sacrifices and service of 
African Americans during the Korean War. Because throughout the Korean 
War, African American soldiers were waging a war on two fronts. They 
fought gallantly beside their comrades in the most trying conditions, 
while battling the bigotry and racism that were still prevalent in the 
United States military. These same veterans continued their fight 
against racism at home by joining the grassroots of the Civil Rights 
Movement. Although Korea is known as the ``Forgotten War,'' we told 
them that we will never forget, and we won't let our colleagues in 
Congress forget about the brave men and women who made the freedom we 
enjoy today possible.
  Congressman Sanford Bishop, Jr., reaffirmed that the Veterans 
Braintrust is an event which has become one of the traditional 
highlights of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's annual 
legislative conference, adding that this is a family affair which 
brings veterans and their families together from throughout the 
country, and gives us an opportunity to discuss issues of critical 
concern to us all. To our distinguished panelist, he said, it is 
because of Korean War veterans, both men and women who have answered 
the call of duty that we have the strongest military in the world and 
praised their unselfishness in risking their lives to protect our 
freedom. Today is their day. African American Korean war veterans are 
finally receiving the recognition that they truly deserve. With that 
said, Bishop introduced our keynote speaker, The Honorable Louis 
Caldera, Secretary of the Army.
  Secretary Caldera began by stating, that this forum was aptly named. 
``Remembering the Forgotten of the Forgotten War.'' For many African 
Americans and for many reasons, Korea truly was the Forgotten War. It 
came on the heels of an exhausting World War II in which our Army 
literally led the effort to save the world from tyranny. Americans had 
expected to enjoy the fruits of this exhausting effort for some time. 
They had enough of war. But less than five years after V-J Day, they 
found themselves being asked once again to

[[Page E2192]]

sacrifice their sons and daughters to help defend freedom in a nation 
few had ever even heard of. But if Korea is the Forgotten War, then 
truly the African American soldiers who served in that conflict are the 
``Forgotten of the Forgotten War,'' as the title of this forum 
suggests. They had been set apart and marginalized as a fighting force 
long before the beginning of the conflict. But by war's end they were 
integrated into units throughout the Army and involved in the thickest 
of the fighting. The tremendous contributions our soldiers made in that 
war have never been fully recognized. And particularly the 
contributions of our Korean veterans were not recognized in the way we 
hailed the return of our World War II veterans and certainly even less 
was made of the service and contributions of our African American 
veterans who were not fully recognized. Those who were overlooked 
included men like Congressman Charles Rangel and Congressman John 
Conyers, senior Members of the House, founding members of the 
Congressional Black Caucus, and decorated veterans of that war. Then 
Sergeant Rangel was awarded the Bronze Star with ``V'' while he served 
with the 503d Field Artillery Battalion. And 2d
  Of course there were tens of thousands of other African Americans who 
served bravely in the Korean War whose actions we must also commemorate 
and remember. I can tell you that I'm looking forward to next July 23, 
2001, when we will lay a memorial wreath in a ceremony at Arlington 
National Cemetery to pay tribute to the soldiers of the 24th Infantry 
Regiment and other African American soldiers who bravely fought and 
fell in that war. They gave their lives for freedom at Yechon, at the 
Han River, at Kunu-Ri and on many other battlefields where their blood 
now consecrates that land.
  Although there are many lessons that we have learned from our 
involvement in the Korean War. One of the most important lessons that 
Korea taught us was that segregation has no place in a modern military 
(or our society), but especially in the U.S. Armed Forces. We learned 
that the Army fights best when it is unified. We learned that 
leadership and bravery and courage knows no color boundary. Until 
Korea, the Army had reflected America's long and tragic history of 
racial discrimination by maintaining segregated units. It was costly, 
irrational, and an inefficient way to do business. It cost us in terms 
of the combat effectiveness of those segregated units. There were 
places where soldiers and leaders did not trust each other, held each 
other in disregard, and were rotated quickly through units where they 
did not invest time in bringing out the best in their men. The result 
was an Army where certain units were maligned and their reputations 
impugned because of unfounded rumors, innuendo and the adverse impacts 
of a self-defeating policy.
  President Truman's historic integration order of 1948 said the Armed 
Forces were officially integrated. But at the start of the Korean War, 
they were still segregated. Once we were thrown into that war we had no 
choice, in the wake of early setbacks, exacerbated by readiness 
shortcomings, our military leadership was forced to send African 
American troops to fight side-by-side with white soldiers at the front 
lines. As Lt. Gen. Julius Becton, one of our Army's most senior leaders 
and a personal role model when I was a young officer recently recalled 
that as a young African American officer serving in the early days of 
the Korean War, the question was put to him, where should we send the 
replacements who had started to come over to fill the thinning ranks? 
The idea of sending black soldiers to black units and white soldiers to 
white units and not putting a white soldier under command of a black 
officer all of a sudden had no relevancy. They refused to accept that 
kind of thinking and said ``we're going to send these soldiers where 
they are needed.'' And so they sent the soldiers to the units where 
they were taking the highest casualties. As General Becton now puts it 
``Korea was what broke the eggshell to make the omelet to make 
integration a reality.'' Because all of a sudden soldiers were fighting 
side by side for their well-being, depending on each other, drinking 
from the same cup, giving blood to one another to save each other's 
lives and it made all the difference. Today, at a time when diversity 
is increasing rapidly, the Army is taking full advantage of the trail 
of opportunity that was first blazed by these African American 
soldiers. African Americans still comprise 29% of the enlisted ranks 
and fully 11% of our officer corps. We could not be the world's best 
land power force without these soldiers and without their leadership. 
They are integral to all we do, and of the future of this great Army, 
from our peacekeeping operations in the Balkans to our deterrence 
Mission on the Korea Peninsula, to the Persian Gulf. In the coming 
years, when America will need to draw even more on the diversity of her 
communities to meet the new challenges of the 21st century, we will 
continue to count on young African American men and women to shoulder 
the heavy burden of our nation's security. Thank you very much. God 
bless you and God bless our Korean War veterans.
  In addition, the Secretary of Labor paid a very special tribute to 
Korean War veterans bravery and helped honor those African Americans 
who served in the Korean War. The Secretary of Labor reminded each of 
us that the Korean War occurred at a time when African-Americans served 
in segregated units, and many of those units were in heavy combat. 
However, the success of the integration of the military enabled African 
American veterans to return home and become key participants in the 
success of America's workplace. Lastly, the Secretary asked that all 
Americans remember the loyalty and valor of African American soldiers 
who fought bravely in the Korean War, brought change at home, and 
helped build a bridge to better, and more diverse workplaces.
  Next, a poem written and read by SFC Laurence Hogan, USAR, Ret., 
called ``Korea--The Dying Game,'' dedicated to the men of the 31st 
Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry (Bayonet) Division, who fought on Pork 
Chop Hill, set the tone for hearing a lot about the trials and triumphs 
of African American Korean war military luminaries like Col. Daniel 
``Chappie'' James, Jr. (and later the first U.S. Air Force African 
American four-star General) who flew many combat missions during the 
Korean War and flew missions in Vietnam, as well as combat members of 
the infantry, artillery, engineers and ranger airborne organizations.
  Dr. Edwin R. Parson, noted Psychologist and recent recipient of the 
NAACP's Jesse Brown Leadership Award moderated our distinguished Korean 
war panelists Sgt. Eddie Dixon, National Historian, 24th Infantry 
Regimental Combat Team (RCT) Association; Dr. William Hammond, Author 
and Historian, US Army Center of Military History; Sgt. Maj. Samuel 
Gilliam, USA, Ret., Member of the 503d Field Artillery Battalion; Mr. 
Theodore ``Ted'' Hudson, Sr., 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division; CSM 
Samuel Jenkins, USA, Ret., President, 24th Infantry Regiment Combat 
Team Association; Col. Charles E. McGee, USAF, Ret., President of the 
Tuskegee Airmen Association, Inc.; Mr. Curtis ``KoJo' Morrow, ``G'' 
Company, 1st Platoon, 1st Squad, 24th Infantry RCT; Maj. James ``Big 
Jim'' Queen, USA, Ret., Executive Officer, 2d Ranger Infantry Company 
(Airborne), and commentator Dr. William Ball, Professor of Political 
Science & University Scholar, from the University of Vermont.
  Dr. Parson opened by asking and attempting to answer the question, 
``Why and how did America forget our Korean war veterans?'' In his 
professional experience as a psychologist he was not sure what 
America's historical lack of memory for the Korean War and its warriors 
was due to. But, to forget such noble and heroic exploits by these 
veterans so completely tells an astonishing story of not only national 
amnesia, but also societal insensitivity. Moreover, many people believe 
that when it comes to African American contributions for fighting our 
nation's wars at home and abroad America has always had a bad memory. 
It had a bad memory in forgetting the 33d US Colored Troops during the 
Civil War, and showed this same tendency in the forgetting of that war, 
as noted by Dr. Harvey Black, an African American surgeon in the Army 
of Northern Virginia. So, American amnesia for the sacrifices of Black 
Americans who served in the Armed Forces, beginning with the 
Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, Indian Campaigns, Spanish-
American War, through World War I and II to Korea and Vietnam is by now 
legendary. Forgetting Korea and its veterans may thus be said to be no 
exception. It's a tradition. But, despite our nation's historic 
forgetfulness, we are here today honoring all Korean War veterans. As 
we believe that this special tribute to our African American war 
veterans aims to make memory a friend, not foe. To turn off the fear 
and face our past with renewed courage, like the courage so powerfully 
and memorably demonstrated by our veterans in places like Inchon, 
Pusan, Bloody Peak, Old Baldy, Hill 200, Triangle Hill, Hill 440, Hill 
666 (or Gung Ho Hill), the Chosin Reservoir, Yalu, Chorwan Valley, 
Munsan-ni, Kumpchon, Taejon, and other places where war's violence was 
met by them with the liberating force of sacrifice and valor.
  Later that evening, with the gracious assistance of the 50th 
Anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration Committee, and underwriting 
by Quality Support, Inc., an SBA 8(a) Vietnam Veteran Owned Firm, we 
honored

[[Page E2193]]

those who made the freedom we enjoy today possible. Those brave men and 
women who laid their lives on the line for a country that too often 
treated them as second class citizens. The invocation was given by Rev. 
Nathaniel Nicholson, 24th Infantry Regiment Silver Star winner; opening 
remarks by Mr. Wayne Gatewood, Jr., President & CEO, Quality Support, 
Inc.; with my brief introductory remarks for our keynote speaker and 
awards presenter the champion of America's veterans at the Department 
of Veterans Affairs, Acting Secretary Hershel Gober with Ron Armstead, 
Executive Director, CBC Veterans' Braintrust as announcer.
  Secretary Gober thanked everyone for their warm welcome and 
especially thanked the Veterans Braintrust of the Congressional Black 
Caucus for arranging this event to honor some of our nation's most 
distinguished veterans--our African American veterans of the Korean 
War. He applauded the Veterans Braintrust of the Congressional Black 
Caucus for having worked hand-in-hand with the Department of Veterans 
Affairs as an advocate for minority veterans. And our Department is 
proud of our long association with this important group. It is a true 
partnership, and our nation's veterans have seen real benefits from it.
  In addition, he stated, fifty years ago, in response to an invasion 
by foreign troops, the United States and fifteen other nations sent 
troops to fight for the Korean Republic. It was the first time in 
history an international organization sent an international army to 
preserve democracy, and to fight for the freedom of another nation. 6.8 
million Americans served in our military on active duty during the 
Korean War era; 1.8 million of them in the theater of operations. 
Nearly 37,000 Americans died; more than 92,000 were wounded. The fates 
of as many as 8,000 more men have never been accounted for. But thanks 
to their service and their sacrifices, Korea stands today a free 
nation, with people proud of their freedom, and grateful to the men and 
women from the United States who came to stand and fight with them in 
their hour of crisis. Among the 1.8 million men and women who fought in 
the Korean War there were more than 100,000 African Americans. Black 
personnel made up 13% of the total military strength in Korea. 
Americans of African descent have always served our nation with 
distinction; from Crispus Attucks at Bunker Hill, to the 54th 
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War, to the Tuskegee 
Airmen of World War II. But before 1948, they fought, when they were 
allowed to fight, in segregated units--denied the opportunity to show 
their abilities in an integrated setting. However, after President 
Truman's 1948 executive order and the armed forces compliance forced by 
the requirements of war African American soldiers, sailors, airmen and 
marines were quick to show they were every bit the equal of any soldier 
in combat, anywhere.
  Fifty years after the Korea was began, we know that America is best 
defended by an armed force that is truly representative of all of our 
nation's diversity. And it is also best defended by an armed force that 
is recruited, trained, and led in accordance with our nation's highest 
ideals--the ideals black veterans fought for in Korea. That knowledge 
may be the most important legacy that black Korean war veterans have 
given us. VA is proud to serve the heroes of the Korean war, and of all 
wars.
  The 50th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemorative Awards went to 
the following (partial list of) brave African American men and women 
LTC Mary Ellen Anderson, USA, Ret., Mr. Lonnie Ashe, Lt. Gen. Julius 
Becton, Jr., USA, Ret., Mr. Francis Brown, First Sergeant George 
Bussey, Sr., USA, Ret., Ens. Jesse L. Brown, USN (Posthumous), Mr. 
Nathaniel Brunson, Maj. David Carlisle, USA (Posthumous), Mr. Harold 
Cecil, Sgt. Cornelius Charlton, Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient 
(Posthumous), Col. Fred Cherry, USAF, Ret., Mr. Earnest Cornish, Mr. 
Arthur Code, Mr. Samuel Crawford (Posthumous), Sgt. Earl Danzler, Sr., 
Sgt. Edward Dixon, Mr. Gerald Eldridge, Sr., Mr. Daniel Faulk, Mr. 
Joseph Frederick, Mr. Willie Wren, Sr., Mr. Albert Gibson, Sgt. Maj. 
Samuel Gilliam, USA, Ret., SFC. Novel Harris, Mr. Oliver Holiday, SFC. 
Laurence Hogan, USA, Ret., Mr. Theodore Ted Hudson, Jr., CSM. Samuel 
Jenkins, USA, Ret., Dr. Edwin Nichols, Dr. Leonard Lockley, Mr. Wilfred 
Matthews, Col. Charles E. McGee, USAF, Ret., Mr. Jerome Milborne, Mr. 
Curtis `KoJo' Morrow, Rev. Nathaniel Nicholson, 1st Lt. Mamie Smith 
Pierce, USA, Mr. William Ponder, Sr., Gen. Roscoe Robinson, USA, Ret. 
(Posthumous), Lt. Col. Lyle Rishell, USA, Ret., Sgt. Maj. Lewis 
Roundtree, USMC, Ret., Lt. Gen. Frank E. Peterson, Jr., USMC, Ret., Mr. 
Joseph Williams; Dr. Freeman Pollard, Ms. Marcine Shaw, Mr. Halbert 
Swan (Posthumous), Mr. James Thompson, PFC William Thompson, 
Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient (Posthumous), Mr. LaVonne 
Willis, Mr. Robert Fletcher, Mr. Joseph Patterson, Dr. Jerome Long, Mr. 
Thomas Wynn, Sr., Dr. Charles Johnson, Jr., Mr. Leemon Smith 
(Posthumous), Mr. Jerry Carter, Mr. Joel Ward, and Sr. Master Sergeant 
Eddie Wright, USAF, Ret. With special unit awards going to the 503rd 
Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne), 77th 
Engineers Combat Company, 159th Field Artillery Battalion, 272nd Field 
Artillery Battalion (MNG), 24th Infantry Regiment Combat Team 
Association, Inc., 630th Ordinance Ammunition Company, 231st 
Transportation Truck Battalion (MNG), 376th Engineer Construction 
Battalion (MNG), 715th Transportation Truck Battalion, 65th Infantry 
Regiment, and 65th Infantry Honors Task Force.
  For the commemorative forms overwhelming success I would like to give 
special thanks to Ms. Constance Burns, Curator, US Army Center of 
Military History; First Sgt. George Bussey, Sr., USA, Ret., Member of 
the 24th Infantry Regimental Combat Team (RCT); Mr. Leroy Colston, 
President African American Naval Veterans Association; Mr. Harry A. 
Davis, Immediate Past President, 24th Infantry RCT Association; Col. 
William DeShields, USA, Ret., Founder & President, Black Military 
History Institute of America, Inc.; Dr. Deborah Newman Ham, Professor, 
Morgan State University, Department of History; Mr. Reginald Lawrence, 
Team Leader, Jacksonville Vet Center; Dr. Charles Johnson, Jr., 
Professor, Morgan State University, Department of History; Mr. Wayne 
Gatewood, Jr., President & CEO, Quality Support, Inc.; Mr. Nicholos 
Martinelli, Representative Corrine Brown'sSanford Bishop, Jr.'s 
Legislative Staff; Mr. Daniel Smith, Founder & President, Korean War 
Family Endowment; Mr. Wilson Smith, Founder & President of African 
American Medal of Honor Memorial Association; Mr. Gabriel Tenabe, 
Curator, Morgan State University Museum; Mr. Marvin Eason, White House 
Liaison, Department of Veterans Affairs; Mr. Clifton Toulson, Associate 
Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration; Ms. Marilyn 
Valliant, Catering Manager, Doubletree Park Terrace Hotel, and Mr. Ron 
E. Armstead, Executive Director, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation 
Veterans Braintrust.
  Once more, we would like to pay a very special tribute to three 
distinguished current members of Congress and Korean War veterans. 
Honorable Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), Ranking Member on the House Ways 
and Means Committee, and Founder of the Congressional Black Caucus 
Veterans Braintrust; the Honorable John Conyers (D-MI), Ranking member 
on the House Judiciary Committee; and the Honorable William Clay (D-MO) 
Ranking Member on the House Education and the Workforce Committee. 
Three veterans who have also fought in the long hard battle for social, 
political and economic justice for all Americans.
  Finally, to the families of those killed, wounded, missing in action, 
or former prisoners of war, and particularly, Mr. Leemon Smith, Mr. 
Talmadge Foster, Past Director of Alabama's Veterans Leadership 
Program, Gen. Roscoe Robinson, USA, Ret. and Military Historians Col. 
David Carlisle and Col. John A. Cash, USA, Ret., speaking on behalf of 
the entire membership of the Congressional Black Caucus I would like to 
express our sincerest condolences and appreciation for their 
commitment, indomitable fortitude and dedicated service to country, 
community and family that characterized their lives.
  We owe you all.

                          ____________________