“tough as nails and just as straight.” Morris, “Baseplate.”
“Explain to me what I saw,” and “It occurred to me . . . might inspire them.” Morris, Veterans History Project.
“Now, I’m going to tell . . . top secret.” O’Donnell, p. 106.
“You’ll have black officers and black men.” O’Donnell, p. 107.
“It was such a shock . . . my goodness.” Morris, Radio Netherlands Worldwide.
“My head was in the clouds.” Morris, Veterans History Project.
“My heart almost burst right there.” Brokaw, NBC News.
“I don’t have any idea . . . my bicycle or flew!” O’Donnell, p. 107.
“The Negroes are taking advantage . . . the Army.” Goodwin, p. 172.
“was not really welcomed by the military.” Dalfiume, p. 83.
“We were able to get . . . on military bases.” Hastie, Oral History Interview.
“the most dangerous . . . United States today.” Goodwin, p. 371.
“Mrs. Roosevelt’s . . . impulsive folly.” Goodwin, p. 172.
“loyal Americans . . . ready and willing . . . Officer of our Post.” Goodwin, pp. 421–422.
“We do not ask for . . . any American soldier.” Goodwin, pp. 421–422.
“should be given a chance . . . to gain in the war.” Dalfiume, p. 93.
“this would create an impossible social problem.” Lanning, p. 191.
“no black units were to be included.” Astor, p. 137.
“The Air Corps brass . . . our proficiency.” Goodwin, p. 423.
(caption) “It was designed . . . not knowing me.” Astor, p. 136.
“As we left . . . racial discrimination.” Goodwin, p. 423.
“Where are your Negro paratroopers?” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 3.
“Blacks were asking . . . black paratroopers, too?” and “He let me know . . . all-black paratrooper unit.” Williams, Patriots.
CHAPTER FOUR
“I showed off my boots . . . I had them.” O’Donnell, p. 107.
“we became ‘Triple . . . Buffalo Soldiers.” Morris, “Baseplate.”
“At Huachuca . . . I became determined to get out.” Motley, p. 62.
“So here we stand . . . the first officer.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 11.
“We realized if we did it . . . the rest would follow.” O’Donnell, p. 109.
“We felt the pride . . . on trial every day.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 20.
“It was from daylight . . . three weeks of training.” O’Donnell, p. 107.
“running until our lungs begged . . . made of lead.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 13.
“They were trying . . . man-to-man thing.” O’Donnell, p. 111.
“knew that if he walked . . . airborne career.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 17.
“You would leave . . . three thousand.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 16.
“Keep your feet . . . go to the left.” Airborne Jump Tower YouTube Video.
“They looked to me . . . give it all I had.” Motley, p. 62.
CHAPTER FIVE
“Soldiers were fighting . . . segregated army.” Krause, National Geographic News.
“While in uniform . . . for the country.” Astor, p. 215.
“We don’t any more want . . . your dining room,” and “armed with bricks . . . the Negro welders.” Goodwin, p. 444.
“Those men . . . the post exchange.” O’Donnell, p. 108.
“sitting down at the . . . prisoners of war!” Morris, Veterans History Project.
“a man who never met a stranger.” Author interview with Alice Lowry, September 16, 2011.
“There, in the South . . . I was black.” Appel, New Haven Independent.
“That irked us no end . . . treatment that we’re denied?” Nickles from Heaven.
“We were in one section . . . nothing to do with us.” Morris, Radio Netherlands Worldwide.
“We trained, ate, were housed . . . go to the counter.” Beavers, “Conversations with My Daughter.”
“They didn’t want . . . bring us our food,” and “We had no recreation over there whatsoever,” and “We were put in a hut . . . dead of winter.” Audio Interview, Oral Military History Project, BMOH2.
“Our rifles were empty . . . in the foot by mistake.” Morris, Radio Netherlands Worldwide.
“I remember when . . . stooping to conquer.” Hendrickson, Washington Post.
“You could cut prejudice . . . smell it.” Nickles from Heaven.
“Be cool . . . shouldn’t be wearing boots.” O’Donnell, p. 112.
“Both officers . . . they could be proud of.” Williams, Patriots.
“The general feeling . . . blacks would never jump.” Andrade, Retired Officer Magazine.
“because of the camaraderie . . . entering their special world.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 19.
“would often go . . . racists on the post.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 26.
“We were determined . . . couldn’t handle it.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 27.
“If you learn . . . tell you why,” and “When he said paratroopers . . . my ears.” Audio Interview, Oral Military History Project, BMOH3.
“Curb your tongue” and “quiet your temper . . . ready for them.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 5.
“We fought segregation . . . It made us persevere.” O’Donnell, p. 109.
“D Stage was the real thing.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 18.
“a tangled mess . . . dug out of the ground.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 19.
“heels together . . . three-thousand.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 18.
“I remember every second of my first jump.” Trapp, U.S. Army TRADOC News Service.
“I guess I was . . . I would get relieved.” Nickles from Heaven.
“a lot of . . . that still quiet.” Nickles from Heaven.
“I slept very little . . . ever done before.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 20
“It was the moment of real truth.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 22.
“What is the minimum . . . using in combat?” Beavers, “Conversations with My Daughter.”
“Then why are you . . . black parachutists?” and “That is all . . . sent us.” Beavers, “Conversations with My Daughter.”
“were really down on him,” and “You know what . . . want you,” and “But you’ve got . . . and hang,” and “In that situation . . . out there by myself,” and “It was rougher . . . encourage each other.” Nickles from Heaven.
“Technically, he was the first . . . the Army!” O’Donnell, p. 107.
“When we got our . . . second-class citizens?” O’Donnell, pp. 108–109.
“We got applications from everywhere.” Williams, Patriots.
“This was a chance . . . food to cadets.” Hendrickson, Washington Post.
“He was serving . . . godfather,” and “And he said . . . need more officers.” Morris, Veterans History Project.
“We started combat . . . to go overseas.” Williams, Patriots.
“how to . . . fight as a company.” Audio Interview, Oral Military History Project, BMOH2.
“molded us . . . skilled combat company.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 30.
“By the time . . . fine-tuned combat unit.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 31.
“Upon completing . . . ready to go overseas.” Audio Interview, Oral Military History Project, BMOH2.
CHAPTER SIX
“With utter contempt . . . ‘lynches your people,’” and “You might . . . heavy stick,” and “You people are . . . make America better.” Latty, p. 20.
“in America know a lot . . . me free.” Morehouse, p. 8.
“There may be . . . that Hitler can fix.” Morehouse, p. 8.
“If I was able . . . did not deserve me.” Burns, The War.
“I didn’t hesitate . . . is greatly changed.” McGuire, Taps for a Jim Crow Army, p. 173.
“I
just thought . . . treat them as citizens.” Morehouse, p. 8.
“I have to go . . . you can’t deny me.” Morehouse, p. 39.
“Detailed and carefully . . . communications center.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 50.
“one of the finest groups . . . ever seen.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 53.
“the privilege of . . . knockout blow.” Colley, p. 45.
“the opportunity . . . to shoulder,” and “without regard . . . most needed.” Dalfiume, p. 99.
“share the glory of victory.” Wynn, p. 36.
“They were all . . . glad to see us.” Colley, p. 9.
“seeing something American . . . Continental Army.” Colley, p. 10.
“I said I’d be damned . . . other boys to us.” Goodwin, p. 567.
“the greatest since . . . emancipation [of slaves].” Colley, p. 11.
“It makes you feel bad . . . in the garbage.” Hervieux, New York Daily News.
“They didn’t film . . . interview us.” “Black Veterans Recall Their Roles in D-Day Invasion.” Jet.
“Where were we . . . in the history books?” Sherwell, The Telegraph.
“We had to prove . . . we were the best.” Nolte, San Francisco Chronicle.
“the conditions under . . . most unusual.” U.S. Army, Center of Military History, http://www.history.army.mil/html/topics/afam/aa-volinfreps.html.
“At last . . . tangle with Hitler.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 55.
“the German armies . . . would be needed.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 57.
“We assumed . . . Pacific theater.” Thompson, Seattle Times.
“We were so happy.” O’Donnell, p. 117.
“Well, you got here . . . ,” and “You were expecting . . . New York Times.” Morris, Veterans History Project.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“We had no idea . . . fight the enemy.” Morris, Veterans History Project.
“My teacher asked . . . scary, uncertain time.” Sol, On Paper Wings.
“I had the strangest . . . on me,” and “there’s only . . . are Americans,” and “they threw us out . . . I cried,” and “We had the face of the enemy.” Kit Parker Films, Beyond Barbed Wire.
“We had a mission . . . any other American.” Kit Parker Films, Beyond Barbed Wire.
“A lot of us felt . . . This was it.” Ding, The Color of Honor.
“Look what I found, dear.” Webber, p. 232.
“Don’t touch it, don’t touch it!” Sol, On Paper Wings.
“We were all told . . . or anything.” Sol, On Paper Wings.
“an explosion of unknown origin.” Webber, p. 231.
“It was work . . . five layers thick,” and “We glued . . . used for drying.” Sol, On Paper Wings.
“My education stressed . . . for our country,” and “We worked . . . for thinking,” and “Don’t think . . . without complaining.” Sol, On Paper Wings.
“We knew we . . . entered our minds.” Sol, On Paper Wings.
“It must be . . . are developed.” Webber, p. 263.
“[We had to] trade . . . to do that,” and “We’ve got a job . . . do it well.” Smith, additional transcripts, pp. 458–459.
“We felt it was . . . in combat.” Motley, p. 63.
“We were . . . we had to do.” Thompson, Florida Times Union.
“They could walk . . . like a cat,” and “They taught us . . . to eat.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 64.
“You could have . . . start back up.” Rufty, The Ledger.
“The largest fire . . . jumping at once.” Motley, p. 64.
“We stank . . . upwind of it.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 66.
“We had to fight . . . fighting bears.” Nickles from Heaven.
“We worked . . . ate like horses.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 66.
“The area on fire . . . from the road.” Awosika, Sarasota Herald Tribune.
“These were . . . areas,” and “We jumped in . . . get up there.” Appel, New Haven Independent.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“the reception . . . of the restaurants.” Audio Interview, Oral Military History Project, BMOH3.
“[We] found it difficult . . . would not serve us.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 62.
“were living in . . . southern attitude.” Audio Interview, Oral Military History Project, BMOH3.
“The townspeople . . . toward black soldiers.” Audio Interview, Oral Military History Project, BMOH2.
“a man who . . . ‘cool’ to us,” and “had to serve . . . was our lot.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 62.
“The smokejumpers . . . wonderful relationship,” and “They told us . . . wonderful relationship.” Smith, additional transcripts, p. 460.
“The most we saw . . . fine bunch to see.” Becktold, World War II in a Wild West Town.
“I could not help . . . better than our own.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 69.
“perhaps we were . . . we might see.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 70.
“Upon arriving . . . the United States.” Motley, p. 63.
“We could not . . . was very few.” Telephone interview with author, April 21, 2011.
“the battalion . . . balloon fires.” Cohen, p. 43.
“We did find . . . further training.” Motley, p. 64.
“We found . . . of the bombs.” Ross, Wildland Firefighter Magazine.
“This was like . . . what to do with us.” Thompson, Florida Times Union.
“The Army had . . . so they refused.” Shaughnessy, CNN.com, March 25, 2010.
“General MacArthur . . . denied the experience.” Telephone interview with author, April 22, 2011.
“Why, I asked . . . and my people?” and “I was struck . . . better place to live.” Morris, “Baseplate.”
CHAPTER NINE
“Black people in the crowd . . . greet us,” and “I kept that . . . crumbled up!” O’Donnell, p. 118.
“It was a heck of . . . sort of situation.” Nickles from Heaven.
“Oh, you should have . . . a great feeling.” Nickles from Heaven.
“a mud pond surrounded by sand.” Biggs, Gavin, p. 73.
“were billeted in . . . a scandal,” and “did well . . . been given.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. ix.
“color-blind.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. 73.
“our Army . . . our society.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. x.
“well trained . . . well led.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. ix.
“General . . . to the 555th?” and “newest equipment and weapons,” and “I’ll see to that.” Biggs, The Triple Nickles, p. x.
“I walked in . . . had died.” Nickles from Heaven.
“Everybody was crying . . . Triple Nickles colors,” and “I finally felt . . . belonged to something.” Gonzalez, U.S. Army, February 18, 2010.
“There’s no question . . . nothing to do with it.” Nickles from Heaven.
“a symbol of . . . in the service.” Biggs, Gavin, p. 65.
“But he did more than that,” and “Now . . . when you had . . . division positions.” Audio Interview, Oral Military History Project, BMOH3.
“moved quickly . . . officers and men.” Biggs, Gavin, p. 74.
“White soldiers and . . . racism — not one.” Morris, Veterans History Project.
“I was raised . . . myself,” and “the vast majority . . . a free republic.” Dalfiume, p. 134.
“practice what . . . world was watching.” Dalfiume, p. 139.
“We landed in Norfolk . . . so happy.” Latty, p. 42.
(caption) “We served . . . segregation.” Telephone correspondence with author, May 6, 2012.
“I had no idea . . . do something.” Astor, p. 316.
“When we fail . . . the whole world.” Dalfiume, p. 139.
“It is hereby . . . efficiency or morale.” Executive Order 9981.
“I am not asking . . . continue that fight.” Astor, p. 322.
“It proves what . . . Am
erican soldiers.” Thompson, Florida Times Union.
“the seeds of . . . were sown.” Dalfiume, p. 106.
“[African Americans] made . . . and abroad,” and “It started . . . of their attitudes.” Krause, National Geographic News.
“I carried myself . . . people could tell.” Morehouse, p. 196.
“the civilian population . . . and discrimination.” O’Donnell, p. 109.
“The individual soldiers . . . led to acceptance.” Pryor, American Forces Press Service.
“Before World War II . . . what to do about it.” Morehouse, p. 203.
“I came back . . . spun around,” and “I wanted to . . . come with it.” At Cooper Union, summer 2009.
“We realized . . . they had education.” Morehouse, p. 205.
“I would never . . . let them down.” Buckley, p. 327.
“In World War II . . . never mind being heroic.” Roston, Los Angeles Times.
“They said we . . . from the ground up.” Miracle at St. Anna.
“We didn’t win . . . to do with his ability.” Thompson, Seattle Times.
“When he pinned . . . with my life,” and “I always looked . . . for other people.” Trapp, U.S. Army TRADOC News Service.
“I’m proud . . . who followed them.” Gonzalez, U.S. Army, February 18, 2010.
“They opened . . . black paratroopers,” and “I’m not concerned . . . jump school.” Gennaro, South Philly Review.
“Just as the . . . become paratroopers.” Thompson, Florida Times Union.
“When you look . . . doing their job.” Awosika, Sarasota Herald Tribune.
“I don’t answer . . . All-American.” Pryor, American Forces Press Service.
“When the 555th . . . who were involved.” Awosika, Sarasota Herald Tribune.
“Anybody can join . . . green — anybody.” Gennaro, South Philly Review.
“We think it’s . . . soldiers they can be.” U.S. Army, March 3, 2009.
“The man with no . . . has no future.” Nickles from Heaven.
“These three gentlemen . . . the course of history.” States News Service, March 30, 2010.
“It was so awesome . . . to their stories.” Sosbe, USDA Forest Service, April 5, 2010.
“There’s a great . . . dignity and respect.” Awosika, Sarasota Herald Tribune.
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