Newspaper Page Text
Mclntyre Loses Job
at Pilgrim After 17 Years
Page 3
Volume 10
EDITORIAL
All of us have been hurt by the recent abuses the
black community has suffered at tfje hands of the daily
newspapers.
Most recently has been the affair involving Greater
Young Zion Baptist Church and prior to that the adjacent
editorial on blacks in the military.
As is usually the case, the daily newspapers’ malice
for the black community was compounded by its
ignorance of black people generally, and of one Charles
Anthony in particular.
The reports of a black church, split over an apparent
attempt to fire its minister, then having to have a deacon
restrained by half a dozen deputies in the courtroom as
he charged the minister shouting, “This is the day
crucifixion for Rev. Sapp,” made the top of the front
page in both the Chronicle and the Herald.
What the daily newspapers apparently did not know
was that Mr. Anthony has been under psychiatric
observation for some time. Local psychologist Peter G.
Cranford, in the early 70s, wrote to the Secretary of the
Army and other officials trying to get help for Mr.
Anthony, who was then under severe mental stress
because of the illness of his wife, who was unable tocare
for their six children. Mr. Anthony, who was then at
Walter Reed Hospital, wanted to be assigned to Fort
Gordon so he could be near his family, but the Army
refused to assign him here.
Dr. Cranford got syndicated columnist Jack
Anderson towrite about Mr. Anthony's plight.
In short, it would be incorrect to assume that a
bunch of black folk were in court acting crazy. The
reporters apparently were not knowledgeableabout Mr.
Anthony's condition.
That we can understand. But we cannot excuse the
daily newspapers ignorance of the contributions of black
pilots during World War II and of black people generally.
This ignorance, we believe, is the cause many of the
negative attitudes and the prejudice many whites hold
toward blacks. They really believe that we've never done
anything.
This points up the importance of black history,
which ought to be learned by whites as well as blacks.
Newspapers have a special responsibility to be
knowledgeable because of their roles as community
educators and opinion makers.
We call on the Augusta Chronicle to retract its
“Docu-Drama distortion" editorial.
In the hope that we can correct some of the false
impressions of about blacks in the military, we are
presenting in this issue a special salute to blacks in the
military. The information and pictures were compiled by
J. Philip Waring.
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AMERICA'S TOP BLACK MILITARY FAMILY-Brig. Gen.
8.0. Davis Sr. (L) is pictured pinning the Flying Cross
Meoal on his son, Coi. 8.0. Davis, Jr. for outstanding
bravery and leadership of the 332nd Fighter Group during
World War 11. The elder Davis was appointed as the nation's
first black general officer in 1940, served with the 10th
Calvary in the Spanish American War and also in the
Phillippines and the Mexican Campaign winning numerous
honors. His son, a 1936 West Point graduate, was the first
black flyer, and eventually became the first black Lt.
General in the U.S. Air Force. He commanded United
Nations troops in the Korean W ar.
Augustans Oppose Chronicle Editorial On Blacks in the Military
....Retired Ist Sgt. Joseph
Scotts I thoroughly disagree
with statements in the
January 21 edition of the
Augusta Chronicle on the
role of black soldiers during
World War 11. It was a
disgrace to all black service
personnel in the CSRA. My
own leadership was with
both combat engineers and
Quartermasters in the China-
Burma-India sector. As I
truck convoys hauled
ammunition over the
“Hump,” we engaged in
constant combat with both
Aityirsia Nma-S!
Number 38
the Japanese and the
Chinese bandits of that era.
Many citations were issued
by General Joseph Stillwell
to our troops. The Chronicle
article, therefore, does great
disservice and would tend to
discourage young people
desirous of entering the
military as a career.
Mrs. Evelyn Green
Screen: I am not in accord
with the Chronicle editorial
because my husband, Ist. Lt.
Robert Screen, M.D. gave
his life serving in the combat
zone of the Italian campaign
Rev. Arthur S S ims
Remarried in
Atlanta Ceremony
Page 3
Docu-Drama Distortion a Salute to Blacks in the Military
Reprinted from the Augusta Chronicle)
Some Hollywood "docu
dramas" in recent years
have been criticized for
playing fast and loose with
the historical facts. “Roots”
and “Tail Gunner Joe’’
(about the late Sen. Joseph
McCarthy) have particularly
been rapped by some
historians and viewers.
Now comes a new
“docu-drama” entitled
“COM-TAC 303.” It is the
story of a so-called black
fighter pilot unit during
World War 11. Unfortunately,
there is no historical
documentation that there
were any black American
pilots in combat during that
conflict.
Before the Truman
administration blacks were
segregated into the
Quartermaster Corps, and
supply units. On only one
major occasion were they
sent to the front lines, and
that was when they were
routed in Italy by German
counter-attacks.
The ‘'docu-drama”
SPAINISH WAR COMBAT FIGHTER-Captain J ohn Oliver
of Augusta is shown upon return home in 1898. He was
awarded the Purple Heart Medal for wounds suffered while
fighting in the Philippines.
TOP BATTLE FIELD HONORS- For
courage and leadership in battle
operations with the 370th U.S. Arms
Regimental Comhat Team of the 92nd
Division. Chief Warrant Officer Joseph
C. Goudy is shown receiving the Arms
Bronze Star Medal. He also received
three battle stars to his campaign
ribbon, the Combat Infantry Badge and
a Meritious nl nit Citation making him
Vugusta's most highly decorated
combat officer.
, in 1945. Why don’t Chronicle
editorial writers get facts
before insulting the
memories of black service
personnel?
Sgt. S.B. Gandy: I am
probably the only Augustan
who served continously with
the original 99th Pursuit
Squadron at Tuskegee and
later the 332nd Fighter
Group in Africa and
Southern Italy. The latter
unit escorted heavy bombers
of the 15th Air Force deep
into enemy-held Europe
amidst heavy ground fire.
February 7, 1981
claims this air unit shot down
136 German aircraft,
destroyed 273 German
planes on the ground, sunk
the only German destroyer
and downed the last German
fighter in 1945. The story
also says the unit never lost a
single bomber they
escourted during all of its
claimed 1,578 missions.
It is significant that the
Associated Press account of
the production admits that
“the story is fiction.”
We wonder if this will be
mentioned at all by the
story's Hollywood producers,
especially main producer
Robert Totten? How many
viewers, especiaally
impressionable young
people, will be misled by this
film?
‘ ‘ Docu - dramas”
especially ones that take
pains to stick to the facts like
the recent show “Invasion”
on Czechoslovakia-are
useful. Those like “COM
TAC 303," however, should
be clearly labeled fiction.
Our "Red Tails” completed
many unusual combat
missions, our commander
Colonel 8.0, Davis, Jr.
received the Distinguished
Flying Cross and the group
received the Presidential
Unit Citation for bravery ' i
combat. The Chronicle is
wrong. The overall high
performance of the 332nd
could well match with the
maligned "COM-TAC 303”
in the docu-drama.
Counsel Danridge,
Commander, Screen-Ramsey
Post, 505, American Legion.
L.A. Rams Rookie
Wants to Return Here
as High School Coach
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HE LOVED THE BLUE SKYS.-FHght Cadet James C.
Ramsey always lovied “the blue skys up yonder" and
compiled high marks in military flying.Jßamsey was killed In
an airplane accident just prior to receiving his wings and
departing to an overseas combat assignment. He was
trained at Paine College and Dillard University. The Screen-
Ramsey American Legion Post was co-named for him.
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AUGUSTA’S FLYING ACE-First Lt. Harry Bohler of the
332nd Fighter Group is in the cockpit of his plane before
leaving South Italy to escort U.S. 15th Air Corps bombers on
their deadly raids into German-held Eastern Europe. A
veteran of many aerial dog fights and long range combat
missions, he is recipient of a Presidential Unit Citation. A
graduate of Haines and Hampton Institutes, Bohler now
operates his own electrical engineering company in Tampa,
Florida.
We differ with the Chronicle
editorial. Many members of
our post have fought
valiantly in various armed
force units throughout the
world in several wars. Why
did the Chronicle check on
these well-known facts? Our
local post, Screen-Ramsey,
was named for two
Augustans who lost their
lives for our nation. We are
poles apart from the
Chronicle on this issue.
Lee Evans, Commander,
Walter Jackson post, 3887,
Veteran of Foreign Wars
Less than 75 percent advertising
(VFW). There's no way
members of this VFW poet
could support the Chronicle’s
disparing remarks about
black military personnel. On
the contrary, all of our VFW
members have served
overseas with various kinds
of units to protect this nation.
Did the Chronicle editorial
writers ever hear of the 9th
and 10th Calvary, or the 24th
and 25th Infantry which led
in combat for almost 100
years? Or of the 332nd and
99th Pursuit Squadron as
they compiled combat honors
Monica Kaufman
TV Anchorwoman
AKA Speaker
Page 1
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AUGUSTA PHYSICIAN KILLED IN COBAT-First Lt.
Robert Screen, M.D., U.S. Medical Corps, was killed on
kpril 8 1945 near Pisa, Italy. Enroute to a new medical
station further on the front, his vehicle crashed on a bridge
blown up by retreating German troops. He was a graduate
of Paine and Meharry Medical College. The Screen-Ramsey
American legion Post was co-named for him.
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HELPED BEAT THE GERMANS BACK. Sgt. Edwin Dove
of the 317th Ammunitation Train of the 92nd Division served
actively in France during World War I. He later became a
co-founder of Augusta’s Screen-Ramsey Post, 505,
American Legion and the Walter Jackson Post 3887. He's
Augusta's oldest combat army veteran.
Support Your Newspaper
over Europe during World race?
War n? Why insult an entire
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Whe (Augusta
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