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Page 2A - Pike County Journal Reporter - Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Four men who gave the ultimate sacrifice honored
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Four black soldiers from Pike County who gave the ultimate sacrifice during World War I were honored by members of the American Legion Post 197 and the
Pike County NAACP. Their stories of service were shared aloud and displayed in a shadow box that will remain on display at the Pike Memorial Annex building.
Four men who gave
the ultimate sacrifice
were honored as they
were inducted into the
Pike County Memorial
Annex. The men honored
included WW1 heroes Pri
vate William Bankston of
the Molena area, Private
Green Blackman of the
Meansville area, Private
John McLendon and
Private Ben Scott of the
Concord area.
“Post 197 has started
an annual Pike County
tradition of honoring
those from Pike County
who have given the
ultimate sacrifice with
the goal of honoring
every name listed on the
Pike County Veteran’s
Memorial and every first
responder of Pike County
who died in the line of
duty. The Memorial An
nex has 25 inductees me
morialized to date,” said
American Legion Post
197 commander Bryan
Richardson.
“When World War 1
started, many African-
Americans chose to
prove their right to
equality by serving their
country. More than
700,000 blacks enlisted on
the first day of the draft
on June 5, 1917. More
than 350,000 African-
Americans served during
World War I. Roughly,
200,000 black troops
were shipped overseas.
Many white commanders
believed black soldiers
would perform poorly un
der fire. African American
troops were organized
into segregated units,
mostly led by white offi
cers. By the time America
entered the war in 1917,
West Point had graduated
only three black officers.
African Americans were
primarily shut out of op
portunities to become of
ficers in the military. The
military also limited black
enlistments, fearing racial
issues would harm the
war effort even though
African-American soldiers
had fought in every major
U.S. war since the 1700s.”
Under French com
mand, black troops expe
rienced far less racism.
They were given combat
assignments like any
other French unit, and
they fought with cour
age and skill. The most
famous of these was the
369th Infantry Regi
ment. Although it was
also known for its famed
regimental band, which
brought jazz to Europe, it
was first and foremost a
fighting unit. During the
Meuse-Argonne offensive
at the end of the war, the
92nd Division joined the
fighting, serving under
U.S. command. Unlike the
men of the 93rd Division,
which gained fame and
honors fighting under the
French command, the
African Americans in the
92nd Division faced fierce
racial prejudice from
their white commanders
as they struggled to fulfill
assignments, and had to
work tirelessly to clear
their reputations. Un
fortunately, the service
of black Americans had
little impact on racism in
the United States. Many
African-American veter
ans faced discrimination
and violence, despite
their service.
“They were basically
fighting two wars,” said
Jack Lufkin of the Fort
Des Moines Museum
and Education Center.
“They were fighting the
Germans in World War
1 and were also fighting
segregation and racism
in their own country.”
In spite of the strug
gles and racial issues
they experienced, the
officers from the Fort Des
Moines training camp
laid the groundwork for
change in the U.S. mili
tary over the next sev
eral decades, culminating
with President Harry
Truman’s executive order
issued in July of 1948
that abolished racial dis
crimination and formally
ended segregation in the
U.S. Armed Forces.
“The military did
lead the way in equality
for African Americans,
although there were
still many incidences of
racism within our armed
forces, and unfortunately,
even today,” said Rich
ardson.
Black soldiers from Pike honored for their service in World War I
William E. Bankston
William Early Bankston was born in Molena on
Dec. 15, 1895 to Patience Martha Gardner and Reuben
Farmer Bankston as the first of three children. His
mother died when he was three. The family lived in
Lifsey Springs and Concord. When he was 18 years
old, his father died in 1913. In 1917, William was work
ing as a carpenter living in Griffin and he enlisted in
the U.S. Army on April 14, 1917 at Fort Thomas, Ken
tucky - eight days after the U.S. entered WW1.
He and the 18th Infantry Regiment M Company de
parted on the USS Mount Vernon from Hoboken, New
Jersey on Oct. 29, 1917 and arrived at Brest, France
on Oct. 31, 1917.
By April 1918, the German Army had pushed to
within 40 miles of Paris. In reaction to this thrust,
the Division moved into the Picardy Sector to help
relieve the exhausted French First Army. On May 22,
the Battalion was moved to the Cantigny Sector three
miles west of Montdidier and was placed as a reserve
unit. From July 15 to 17, the German army attacked
the allied forces to try to cross the Marne River and
push towards Paris. Thanks to American army efforts,
the German right wing failed to take any land across
the Marne. In order to attack and force the German re
treat, the allies planned on attacking the entire Marne
salient.
On July 15, Bankston and the Division moved ap
proximately 28 miles to the woods of Foret de Comp-
iegne about 18 miles west of Soissons in preparation
to relieve the 1st Moroccan Division. At 8 a.m. on July
16, the Battalion arrived in the woods. Here the Divi
sion bivouacked on July 16, and spent the entire day
under cover of the woods to avoid detection by Ger
man aircraft. During the night of July 17, the Division
relieved the 1st Moroccan Division on a 1.5 mile front.
At 9 p.m. that day, the Battalion marched 7 miles mov
ing eastward and arrived at a trench line near Cutry,
its jump-off point at 3 a.m. for an attack at 4 a.m.
On the morning of July 18, the Aisne-Marne Cam
paign began. The Battle of Soissons was the name of
the counterattack of the allied forces during the Sec
ond Battle of the Marne, the last major offense that
the German army attempted during WW1. The victory
was costly; more than 700 men were killed or wound
ed. It is believed that sometime on July 18, Private
Bankston was severely wounded in action during the
battle. He died of his wounds on July 21, 1918.
Private Bankston’s awards and decorations for
combat include the Purple Heart Medal, posthu
mously for wounds in action and subsequent death,
the World War 1 Victory Medal with Defensive Sector
(Montdidier-Noyon) Clasp and Aisne-Marne Battle
Clasp representing each of the two campaigns par
ticipated and the French Croix de Guerre with palm
for his unit whose soldiers distinguish themselves by
acts of heroism involving combat with the enemy dur
ing the Aisne-Marne Campaign.
Initially, Private Bankston was buried more than
likely at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in
France. On April 11, 1921, his remains arrived in the
United States and he was put to rest at the Beulah
Baptist Church Cemetery in Lifsey Springs, Georgia.
Green
Blackman
Green Blackman was born
Nov. 4, 1896 in the Military
District 540, Milner, Georgia to
Canvars and Green Blackman as
the youngest of several children.
In 1900, the family was living in
Barnesville. In 1910, at the age of
13, he was living with his broth-
er-in-law and older sister Nettie
Hunter in Meansville. He worked
for M.L. Middlebrooks in Zebu-
Ion. On June 5, 1918, he regis
tered for the draft. Shortly after,
he married Annie Mae Mangham
and they lived on Barnesville
Street in Zebulon, Georgia.
When the United States be
came involved in World War I on
April 6, 1917, more than a million
African Americans registered
to serve. Over 350,000 served
during the War. They served in
the Infantry, Cavalry, Engineer
Corps, Field Artillery, Coast
Artillery, Signal Corps, Medical
Corps, Hospital and Ambulance
Corps, Aviation Corps, Veteri
nary Corps, and Depot Brigades.
In all, 3,600 African American
recruits from Georgia were sent
to Camp Gordon in Chamblee.
Camp Gordon was a World War
I encampment built in early
1917 on land that now includes
DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. Segre
gation and discrimination made
life difficult for the African Ameri
cans at Camp Gordon as well as
other World War I camps.
Private Blackman was as
signed to the 14th Company, 4th
Training Battalion of the U.S.
Army’s 157th Depot Brigade for
basic training at Camp Gordon.
The role of the 157th Depot
Brigades was to receive and
organize recruits, provide them
with uniforms, equipment and
initial military training, and then
send them to France to fight on
the front lines. During the latter
part of his basic training, Private
Blackman contracted Lobar-
Pneumonia and died on Nov. 5,
1918. Blackman turned 22 the
day before his death. It is un
known where Green Blackman is
buried. He is probably buried in
a family plot within current Pike
or Lamar counties.
John G.
McLendon
John Green McLendon was born on
May 26, 1893 to Julia and Peter McLendon
as the third of four children. He was raised
in and around the Concord area. In 1910,
the family lived on a farm on Hollisterville
Road, Concord. John worked on the family
farm and when he signed up for the mili
tary draft on June 5, 1917, he was working
at the Buchanan’s Saw Mill in Woodbury,
Georgia.
He was sent to the entrainment camp
at Camp Wheeler near Macon and on Aug.
5, Private McLendon was assigned to the
25th Company at the Reception Camp at
Camp Wheeler, Georgia for basic training.
The War Department used the site area
of Camp Wheeler, Macon Georgia as a mo
bilization center from 1917 to 1918. One of
16 U.S. Army national guard mobilization
and training camps, it was established on
July 18, 1917 as a temporary training camp
for national guard units in federal service
for the U.S. Army. The camp consisted
primarily of tents in a cantonment area.
On Aug. 30, 1918, Private McLendon
was assigned to E Company, 403rd Re
serve Labor Battalion at Camp Wheeler.
The labor battalion provided labor sup
port to the reception, mobilization, and
training camp. Although technically eli
gible for many positions in the Army, very
few blacks got the opportunity to serve in
combat units. Most were limited to labor
battalions. On Sept. 3, Private McLendon
was sent to the Quartermaster’s Depot
in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania and
assigned to A Company, 425th Reserve
Labor Battalion. The U.S. Army Quarter
master Department established a depot
on 851 acres of land in rural New Cumber
land which was based on its proximity to
the Susquehanna River and Pennsylvania
Railroad. The depot was used as a storage
and distribution point for a wide variety
of supplies to and from Europe during
WWI. It was one of 12 centers around the
country.
While in New Cumberland, Private
McLendon developed gall stones which
caused an abscess in his liver which
consequently caused his death on Oct.
13 1918. Private McLendon is entitled to
the WWI Victory Medal for service during
World War I.
It is unknown where John McLendon is
buried. It is possible that he is buried in or
around New Cumberland which includes
the Gettysburg National Cemetery. He
could also be buried somewhere in the
Concord area.
Ben L.
Scott
Ben Lee Scott was
born on March 8, 1897
in Senoia, Georgia. His
father was Jim Scott.
As an adolescent,
Ben worked with his
father. On June 5, 1918,
he registered for the
draft. On Dec. 23, 1917,
he married Fannie Mae
Wellmaker and they
lived in Concord.
Private Scott was
assigned to 14th
Company, 4th Training
Battalion, 157th Depot
Brigade for basic
training at Camp Gor
don. The role of the
Depot Brigades was
to receive and orga
nize recruits, provide
them with uniforms,
equipment and initial
military training, and
quickly send them to
service units in France.
Private Scott spent
a week with the 157th
Depot Brigade and
then on Aug. 29, 1918
was assigned to A
Company, 539th Engi
neer Service Battalion.
Scott and A Company
boarded the HMAS
(His Majesty’s Austra
lian Ship) Karmala at
Hoboken, New Jersey
and set sail on Sept. 3,
1918 for France. The
539th Engineer Service
Battalion’s mission
was to repair roads
throughout France.
Shortly after arriving
in France, Private Scott
contracted Brocho-
Pneumonia and died
on 3 October 1918.
Private Scott’s decora
tions include the WWI
Victory Medal for his
participation in France
during the war.
It is unknown where
Ben Scott is buried.
He is probably buried
in a family plot in the
Concord area.
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