[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15464-15465]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 RIGHTING THE INJUSTICE AT FORT LAWTON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DAVID G. REICHERT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 17, 2008

  Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a 
military ceremony taking place in Seattle, Washington, from July 24-26. 
This ceremony will finally mark the official end to an injustice thrust 
upon 28 members of an African American unit at Seattle's Fort Lawton in 
1944.
  On August 14, 1944, an Italian prisoner of war was lynched at Fort 
Lawton following a nighttime confrontation between members of three 
all-black Army port companies, a company of prisoners in an Italian 
Service Unit and many other Army personnel. Subsequently, 28 of the 43 
African-American soldiers charged in the melee were convicted of 
rioting; two soldiers were also found guilty of manslaughter. Although 
the sloppiness of the

[[Page 15465]]

investigation, coupled with clear racial discrimination, tainted the 
entire court-martial proceeding, the ruling and the dishonorable 
discharge of the 28 convicted soldiers stood for more than six decades.
  However, following the publication of a scrupulously researched 
account of the clash and courts-martial by a Seattle author, and the 
interest of my colleague on the other side of the aisle, Congressman 
Jim McDermott, the U.S. Army overturned the convictions of the 28 
soldiers and granted them honorable discharges. Although the wheels of 
justice turned painfully slow for 28 African-American veterans, July 
24-26 will be a wonderful celebration of their dedicated service to our 
country and the final corrections of their military records.
  Unfortunately, only two of the original 28 soldiers are alive today, 
meaning 26 Army veterans passed away before an extreme personal 
injustice was rectified. My hope is that the families of the deceased 
veterans can find some kind of peace knowing their loved ones service 
is truly appreciated and honored.

                          ____________________