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Military tradition passes from father to son |
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July 2, 2004
by Linda Card As we reflect on this year's World War II dedication activities and approach Fourth of July celebrations, it is only fitting to remember one of America's most respected military leaders died two years ago on Independence Day. Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., the commander of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, died July 4, 2002, at the age of 89, and was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery with military honors rendered by the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard and the U.S. Air Force Band. For many, one of the greatest of the "Greatest Generation" had died. General Davis was the first black general in the Air Force, following in the footsteps of his father -- the first black general in the regular Army and the U.S. armed forces. In his Floor Statement on July 18, 2002, Senator John Edwards from North Carolina summed it up: "General Davis left us with a simple template on how to conduct ourselves in service to our country -- be of great courage, character and humility." For many World War II veterans, their war story centers on defeating the Axis (Germany, Japan and Italy). For some, their story is about a two-fold liberation: winning the war in defense of freedom and liberty and surviving racial prejudice and stereotypes. How many of us wearing an Air Force uniform now or who have worn one in the past would have agreed to support our country's fight for liberation in other countries when our own country was not supporting liberation and equality for us? It's a tough question. General Davis answered it by braving extreme discrimination at the U.S. Military Academy, graduating and entering the country's first flying training program for blacks. On July 31, 1935, Sgt. 1st Class Isham W. Alexander Sr., answered it by joining the U.S. Army, serving for 23 years and instilling a military tradition in his son, Lt. Col. Bruce Alexander, the former deputy group commander for the 11th Operations Group here at Bolling. When asked about the treatment of black enlisted members during that time, the 86-year-old World War II and Korean War veteran said, "There was a boundary enforced between all enlisted members and officers during social activities back then. Restrictions weren't necessarily about skin color. The lower-ranking soldiers were not allowed to socialize with senior NCOs [noncommissioned officers] either." Mr. Alexander, who served with General Davis in the 24th Infantry Division, had a limited number of career choices for his future when he finished high school. "Farming life was all that I could see for me," he said. He joined the Army because an Army chaplain, who was a good friend of the family, steered him in that direction. "Although I knew the unit was not integrated, I figured that joining the Army was a good deal because if one soldier gets what he needs, all soldiers would get what they needed too," the elder Alexander said. After spending 18 months at the 24th ID, Mr. Alexander was assigned to a cadre of black enlisted members sent to the 92nd Division in Fort Huachuca, Ariz., to train with other components of the division before deploying overseas. This small cadre of soldiers went on to become the famed World War II "Buffalo Soldiers," the largest black unit in the history of the U.S. Army. "It is one of the marvels of the war that the 92nd Division with an enlisted personnel was made up almost entirely of black soldiers from the South who had been sent out to work in the fields before they were even adolescents and who in many cases never had a chance to learn to read or write," read documentation submitted to Congress by former 92nd Division captain Spencer Moore. "Despite this, the "Buffalo Soldiers" stayed in there week in and week out through some of the harshest fighting in the whole war, against Hitler's best, a superb army of self-assured German veterans fighting with all they had to protect their homeland from the attack rolling up from the south." In spite of their unmatched performance, service members like Mr. Alexander and General Davis were continually dogged by racial prejudice and segregation at home and in their services. Leaping forward many years and many stories to today, Mr. Alexander described his son's decision to follow in his footsteps. "I was very good about it. My son had the privilege to attend an elite military school, the Citadel. He had proven himself as an athlete in two sports and was able to go to school on a full athletic scholarship," he said. According to the younger Alexander, his dad just told him to look at all his opportunities before choosing. "In 1982, when I went to the Citadel, it was still an all-male school. There were only 15 black students in the school," said Colonel Alexander. "In athletics, leadership is recognized across the board. I had no racial problems. I received special treatment because I was a good student and a good athlete whose athletic successes provided financial gain for the college," he said. "I actually had more problems in high school than in college. Until my father started picking us up from after-school athletic practices, I was chased home by white students in segregated neighborhoods a lot," he added. As the elder Alexander, who served on both the European and Pacific fronts during World War II, proudly listened to his son talk about his experiences in uniform, he imparted some advice. "Treat other people like you want to be treated. Also, work twice as hard for a day's wages. And, listen to all the stories because you can learn from them," he said. "Everyone has an important story to tell." By listening to these kinds of stories and paying attention to our multifaceted history, we can learn how to better understand, respect and know each other. As we celebrate the Fourth of July this year, we're reminded our nation is truly a diverse nation made up of very dynamic people that make up the "land of the free and the home of the brave." dcmilitary.com |
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Page last revised 11/23/2006 |