Proudly We Served

by Kelly, Mary Pat

  Bethune, Dr. Mary McLeod, 7–8

  Big Bill. See Blackford, William M.

  Birmingham, HMS, 78

  Birth of a Nation, 7

  Bishop Rock, 2, 111

  Blackford, Charles, 56

  Blackford, Dr. L. Minor, 56

  Blackford, Dr. Mansel, 57

  Blackford, Jane, 46

  Blackford, John Minor, 56–57

  Blackford, Lancelot Minor, 56

  Blackford, Mary Berkeley Minor, 56

  Blackford, William M., 4, 45–46, 53; background, 55–57; capability as seaman, 106, 142–43; and commissioning anniversary, 141; and commissioning of the Mason, 61–63; as leader, 86–87; Lind credits seamanship of, 111–12; maiden voyage on board the Mason, 75–98; message commending crew, 109; mission becomes offensive, 96–97; and promotion policies, 119–20, 121; seniority of captain questioned, 3, 114–15; transfer to Great Lakes, 152

  “Black Gang,” 2, 17

  Black Officers Association, 177

  Black Sailors Association, 173

  Blacks and the Military in American History: A New Perspective, 6

  Blacks, history of their military service, 6–8, 134, 169–73, 181

  Black Students Association, 173

  Bland, William H., III, 92–93

  Blue Jay, 37, 42

  Boot camp, 23–34

  Boston Navy Yard, 63

  Boston Section Base, East, 41–42

  Brooklyn Navy Yard, 137, 150

  Buchanan, Barbara. See Graham, Barbara Buchanan

  Buchanan, Gordon, 2, 10–11, 98, 130–35, 137, 150; after WWII, 166–67; background, 11–13; builds model airplanes, ships, 12; on crew of the Mason, 64; in Mers el-Kébir, 144; and music on board ship, 163; navigating convoy NY-119, 111; in Northern Ireland, 92–93; on patrol boat, 36–37, 42–43; and quartermaster school, 28; as recognitions officer, 78–79; and Saint Elmo’s fire, 89–90; with scarlet fever, 48; at sea, 78, 149; selected for the Mason, 45; as signalman, 3, 43, 145

  Bud Billiken Day Parade, 30

  Bureau of Naval Personnel: and chain of command, 121–22; Historical Section, 181; observation of the Mason, 67–68; orders, 65; report, 35–36, 43, 152

  Caine Mutiny, The, 163

  Camp Robert Smalls, 9, 23; naming of, 26. See also Boot camp; Peters, Merwin; Racial segregation

  Camp Shelby, Mississippi, 20–21

  Cape May, New Jersey, Naval Air Base, 37–38

  Carlisle, the, 30

  CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps), 16

  Charleston Navy Yard, 163

  Chase (DE-16), 101, 127

  Chesapeake Bay ferry, 70

  Chicago Defender, 143

  Christmas, celebrated on board ship, 126

  Churchill, Winston, 4

  Club De Lys: in Chicago, 30; in New York, 100

  CNN (Cable News Network), 175–76

  Coast Guard Auxiliary, 173

  Code breaking, 42

  Cole, Nat King, 149

  Collins, Lorenzo L., 188

  Commendation, letters of, 4, 100, 116–17

  Commissioning Week, at U.S. Naval Academy, 177–79

  Convoy CK-3, 77–90

  Convoy NY-119, 99–118; separation of, 108, 113–14

  Convoys: collisions and, 80–81; speeds of, 79–80

  Convoy UGS-64, 126

  Cook, Big, 69, 82

  Court Martial Board, Summary, 57

  Craig, Cassin, 126, 130, 142; and gambling, 146; on Meyer, 155–56, 162

  Craig, R. W., 90

  Croix de Guerre, 8

  C.T.G. (Commander Task Group) 27.5, 3, 77, 95; recommends commendation, 4, 100, 116–17

  Davis, Dr. Martin, 169, 176

  D-Day invasion, 86; the Mason escorts troop ships for, 59

  DE-577, 156

  Dead reckoning, 111

  De Cuir, Manuel B., 146–47

  Depth charges, 53, 132–33, 161

  DESA (Destroyer Escort Sailors Association), 169, 176

  Destroyer Escort Day, 176

  Destroyer escorts, 52–53; expectations of, 1–2, 4–5, 76. See also Mason, USS

  Dillon, Charles M., 65, 122

  Dinkins, David, 175

  Divers, Charles, 2, 67, 81–82, 101–2, 133–36, 140; background, 15–16; on Blackford, 164–65; and convoy NY-119, 106; and history of the Mason, 170; on the Mason, 150; in Mers el-Kébir, 144; on Meyer, 155–56, 160, 164–65; and music on board ship, 163; as quartermaster, 42, 86–87; and racial discrimination, 37–38, 46–47; and seventy-degree roll, 113; and TBS, 77–78

  Documentaries, WWII, 169

  Draft, for military service, 11, 16–17, 20–21

  DuFau, Lorenzo, 2, 3, 40, 101, 129; background, 13–14; on Blackford, 54–55, 119–20, 152; on British refusal to assist, 114–15; at Camp Smalls, 23–24, 26–27; in Chicago, 30; on commissioning of the Mason, 63–64; on convoy NY-119, 102–3, 106–7, 112–13, 115; on discipline, 122–23; and history of the Mason, 170–71; and integration, 72–73; on the Mason as experiment, 50, 65–66, 68; on Meyer, 165; on morale, 126; in Northern Ireland, 91–93; on patriotism, 29–30, 167–68; in Plymouth, England, 117; at sea, 77, 80, 84, 85, 146–47; and TBS, 104; at U.S. Naval Academy Commissioning Week ceremonies, 177–79; in Winnetka, Illinois, 32

  DuFau, Terry, 177–79

  Eberle (DD-430), 127

  Einstein, Albert, 53, 76

  Eleanor and Franklin, 8

  Eleanor’s Folly, 65

  El Passo, 142

  Enlistment, open for blacks, 9, 13, 17

  Eugene, 142

  Evaporator, 66, 122–23

  Evert class, 52

  Experiment: black enlistment as, 27; the Mason as, 50, 123–24

  Falmouth, England, 112–14

  Farrell, William H., 57–58, 59–60, 132–33; on Blackford’s seamanship, 143; and black gunners, 97; and convoy CK-3, 83, 84–85; and convoy NY-119, 106–8, 110, 115; and crew of the Mason, 155, 159; and emergency repairs, 136; and general quarters, 86; and mascot Horace, 147–49; as recreation officer, 63, 143; and shakedown, 66–67

  Fields (valet to President Roosevelt), 24–25

  Filipino recruitment, 181

  Flamingo, USS, 42

  Foner, Jack, 6

  Ford, John, 141

  Forester, C. S., 75

  Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 161–62

  Garrison, Benjamin, 2, 64–65, 79–80, 84; after WWII, 171–72; background, 17–18; becomes radioman, 47; in Boston, 41–42; at Camp Smalls, 26; in Chicago, 30; and convoy duty, 84, 102; and convoy NY-119, 103–4, 105, 106; and general quarters, 87, 130; in Norfolk, 70; in Northern Ireland, 93; and professionalism, 73–74, 120; and quartermaster school, 28–29; and racial prejudice, 32, 66; at sea, 146–47; and submarine runs, 139–40; and teamwork, 69

  Gaston, Mac, 32–34, 36

  German code, 82–83, 129

  Gibson, Charles Dana, 100, 169

  Golden Thirteen, The, 153–54, 160, 164

  Good Shepherd, The, 75–76

  Gordon, Arnold, 2; background, 18–19; as black, 19, 70, 172; in Norfolk, 47; as sonar man, 39–40, 79, 130–33; as white, 70–71

  GQ (general quarters) alarm, 86–89

  Grady, Captain, 61, 63

  Graham, Barbara Buchanan, 97–98, 150–51, 176–77, 179

  Graham, James W., 2, 60, 67, 126; after WWII, 168–70; background, 10–11; in Boston, 58; at Camp Smalls, 26; at Cape May, 37; and changing tradition, 119–20; in Chicago, 30; and commendation letter, 116; on commissioning of the Mason, 63–64; and convoy CK-3, 85–87; and convoy NY-119, 102, 106–7; courts Barbara Buchanan, 97–98; at end of WWII, 145, 150–51; and gambling, 146–47; in Norfolk, 45–46, 48–49; and racial solidarity, 38–39, 141; and racial tension, 31–32; and radio shack, 82, 101, 149; transferred to the Mason, 44; and U-boats, 129–30, 173–74; at U.S. Naval Academy Commissioning Week ceremonies, 177–79

  Grant, Melvin J., 1, 65, 79, 117–18, 166; background, 19–21; in Northern Ireland, 92

  Gravely,
Samuel, 52–53

  Great Lakes, Illinois, Naval Training Center, 9, 23–24, 32–33

  “Great White Fleet,” 7

  Griffith, D. W., 7

  Gulfport (PF-20), 127, 130, 140

  Guns, 53

  Hair, James, 153, 159–60, 161, 165; at Charleston Navy Yard officers club, 163–64

  Hamilton, Bermuda, 137

  Hampton, Lionel, 163

  Hampton Institute, 40

  Hayter, USS, 69

  Hedgehogs, 53, 132

  Holder, USS, 139

  Home Away from Home: The Yanks in Ireland, 175

  Horace (the dog), 147–49

  Home, Lena, 31

  Inspections, 140–41

  Integration of the Armed Forces 1940–1965, 122n

  Intrepid, USS, Sea-Air-Space Museum, 176

  Iowa, USS, 172

  Ireland, 90–95, 175

  Jacksonville, sunk, 100

  Jews, in Germany, 13–14

  Job opportunities, for blacks, 14–15

  Journal and Guide of Norfolk, 75

  Joyner, Dr. Marjorie Stewart, 7–8, 31

  Kelly, Ed, 31

  Kelso, Frank, 178

  Kendall, Eugene, 36, 177

  Kitts, William W., 58

  Knox, Frank, 62

  Lansdale, USS (DD-426), 139

  Lash, Joseph, 8

  Legget, Billy, 25–26

  Lincoln, Abraham, 7, 152

  Lind, Alfred L., 2, 4; and convoy NY-119, 99–100, 103, 105, 111–12, 114; recommends a letter of commendation for the Mason and her crew, 116

  Livermore (DD-429), 127

  Londonderry, Ireland, 93

  Lookouts, 80–81

  Louis, Joe, 31

  Louis, Marva, 31

  Louisiana Weekly, The, 14

  LT-63, 109

  LT-492, 103, 104

  LT-653, 3, 114

  Lynch, Thomas, 177–78

  McCabe, Frank, 139

  McCain, John, 178–79

  McClatchy, Marvin, 123

  McClatchy, Sally Bruce Blackford, 123

  McCook, 141

  MacGregor, Morris, 181

  MacGregor, Morris, Jr., 122

  MacIntosh, Clarence (“John”), 153, 163–64

  Mason, David N., 52

  Mason, Mrs. David N., 52, 60–61

  Mason, Newton Henry, 52, 60, 62–63

  Mason Association, USS, 154, 175

  Mason, USS (DE-529), 9, 59; and Battle of the Atlantic, 4; celebrates New Year 1945, 127–29; commendation of, 4; commissioned, 60–64; and convoy NY-119, 99–118; crew of, 50, 62, 68–69, 76–77, 152–54; damaged, 133–35; decommissioned, 163; discipline on, 122–23; as experiment, 10, 50, 65–66; and history books, 169–70; integration on, 124–26; layout of, 66–67, 84–85; liberty granted to crew, 68, 91–93, 143–44; and mail delivery, 142; mission determined, 44, 53–54

  Matteson, George, 99

  Maumee (AO-2), 1, 101, 106, 109

  Menges, USS (DE-320), 139

  Merchant marines, 82

  Mers el-Kébir, Algeria, 138, 140, 142–43

  Meyer, Norman, 152, 161; background, 153–55; and leadership on the Mason, 157–59; and literacy of crew, 155–56; seamanship of, 154, 156–57; and shirttails, 162–63

  Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, 56

  Moran, Eugene, 99

  Morse code, 27, 47

  Motley, Dan, 51

  Mount Whitney, USS (LCC-20), 177

  Music, on board ship, 163

  Myrdal, Gunnar, 155

  NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), 7, 61, 182

  Naval Academy, U.S.: Commissioning Week at, 171, 177–79; Nimitz Library, 181

  Navigational Information, Office of, 42

  Navy Courts and Board, 57

  Navy, Greek, 176

  Navy, U.S., 7

  Negro in the Navy, The, 8n, 181–84

  Negro Sailor, The, 141

  Negro Soldier, The, 141

  New York City, 40, 98, 150

  New York Times, the, 60

  Ninety-Ninth Pursuit Squadron, 65

  Norfolk, Virginia, 45–46, 47–48

  Ocean, phenomena, 76–77, 89–90

  Oil king, 17, 106

  O’Neill, Sadie, 93

  “Ordeal of Convoy 119, The,” 100

  O’Toole, USS (DE-527), 101, 104, 109, 127, 130–32, 142

  Patriotism, 6–7, 12–15, 159–60

  Patterson (Graham’s friend), 44

  PC-1264, 52–53

  Pepsi Cola, machine on board ship, 126

  Peters, Merwin, 2, 27, 131–33, 172–73; background, 16; at Camp Smalls, 24, 72–73; and convoy NY-119, 108, 110; and German code, 82–83, 129; in Northern Ireland, 92; and recognition for achievement, 50–51

  Phillips, John G., 90, 158, 161

  Phoebe, USS, 55

  Pillsbury, USS, 96

  Pit (pitometer) log, 132–33, 135

  Pitts, W. W., 127–28

  Planter, 6

  Plymouth, England, 2, 91, 116

  Polk, George, 54

  Port Chicago Mutiny, The, 40n

  Powell, Adam Clayton, Jr., 7, 17

  Powell, Colin, 36

  Powers, USS (DE-45), 78, 97, 104, 127, 130, 141–42; and human cry overboard, 140; separation of convoy NY-119, 112

  Pretext, HMS, 2–3, 110, 112, 114

  Puffin (MC-29), 42

  Queeg, Captain, 163

  Queen Mary, 1

  Racial categorization, 19, 70, 160

  Racial discrimination, 12; in Atlanta, 29–30; in Bermuda, 92; lack of, in Northern Ireland, 91–95; in New Jersey, 37–38; in Norfolk, 45–47, 49–50, 70; and selection process, 50–51; in U.S. Navy, 9, 12–13, 35–36, 182

  Racial disturbances, 10, 58–59, 118, 151

  Racial prejudice, 29, 44; bitterness of, 31–32; and the Mason’s, chief radioman, 73, 119–21; in Michigan, 19; in U.S. Navy, 151–52, 182–83

  Racial segregation: in the armed services, 7–10; at Great Lakes, 19, 23, 25–26; in officers club, 163–64; on public transportation, 15; in South Carolina, 18; in USO, 4, 31, 117–18; in Washington, D.C., 25

  Racial stereotyping, 7–9, 23–24, 46

  Radar, 28, 53, 76, 110

  Radioman, chief, 73, 119–21

  Randolph, A. Philip, 7

  Ratings: achieving, 27–29; advancing in, 119, 121; among the Mason’s crew, 35; and new technologies, 39–40

  “Ready Gun,” 130

  Red Cross, 72–73, 117

  Red-dog, 83, 133

  Reddy, H. C., 94

  Rescues at sea, 140

  Resentment, Negro, 43–44, 50–51

  Roberts, Winfrey, 127, 151; background, 21–22; at Camp Smalls, 24–25; in Norfolk, 40–41

  Robinson, Charles, 179

  Robinson, David, 179

  Rochester, HMS, 3, 114, 116

  Roosevelt, Eleanor, 8, 17, 65, 182

  Roosevelt, Franklin, 8, 20, 54

  Ross, Ed O., 59, 83, 86; navigating, 111, 158, 162

  Royal, Jeff, 177

  Saint Elmo’s fire, 89–90

  Saladin, HMS, 3, 114, 116

  Sally Bruce, 55

  Saltonstall, Governor (of Massachusetts), 61

  Saucy, USS, 154

  Sea readiness, 33

  Seasickness, 37, 70

  Selective Service and Training Act of 1940, 182

  Serviceman’s Center Number Three, 31

  Service school, 24, 27–28, 33–34

  Shakedown, 66–74

  Ship decks: cracks in, 3, 100, 113; during North Atlantic storms, 103–4

  Shipmate, 153

  Ship’s band, 58, 143

  Slater, USS, 176–77

  Small’s Paradise, 100

  Smalls, Robert, 6

  Small tugs sunk, 104, 111–12

  SOL (Statue of Liberty) DESA, 169, 176

  Sonar, 53, 76, 79, 132, 135; contacts made using, 129–31, 162

  Speyer Allen, USS, 40

 
Steady Eddie. See Farrell, William H.

  Steele, Julian D., 61

  Stern, USS, 90, 95, 97

  Stevenson, Adlai, 182

  Stillwell, Paul, 153

  Stimson, Henry L., 8

  “Tan Yankees,” 93

  TBS (talk between ships) transmissions, 1, 77–78, 109–10, 131

  368th Infantry, 8

  369th Regiment, 8

  Tobin, Mayor (of Boston), 61

  Training and Control Division, 183

  Truman, Harry S, 72

  Tuskeegee Airmen, 65

  U-248, 139

  U-371, 139

  U-482, 100

  U-505, 96, 137

  U-866, 139

  U-boats, 52–53, 86; dominating Atlantic, 4; in port in the Azores, 81–83; radar-intercept equipped, 100; in Straits of Gibraltar, 129

  Union Pacific Railroad, 19–20

  USO, 4, 31, 117–18

  Viet Nam veterans, 175–76

  Virginia, University of, 57

  Vortice, SS, 69

  War Manpower Commission, 183

  Washington, Dinah, 163

  Watkins, Albert, 2, 79, 81–82, 129–30, 144–45, 173; after sonar contact, 133–34, 136–37; background, 16–17; at Camp Smalls, 28; at end of WWII, 150; on Meyer’s seamanship, 156, 160; in Northern Ireland, 93; oil king, 69–70, 105–6; and racial prejudice, 118, 164; seasick, 105–6; and segregation, 71–72

  WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service), 44

  White, Mozell, 144

  White, Walter, 7, 8

  Wilson, Woodrow, 7

  Wolf packs, German, 81–82

  Woods, Big, 82

  “Yanks,” 93

  Young, Thomas W., 75, 87–89, 94–95, 96–97, 98, 124–26

  About the Author

  Mary Pat Kelly is an award-winning author and filmmaker whose unique background combines academic achievement, popular entertainment, and public service. She received her doctorate in English—with a concentration in film and Irish literature—from the City University of New York Graduate School in 1982. She has taught at Brooklyn College and City College and guest lectured at numerous other colleges, including Williams and the U.S. Military Academy.

  Dr. Kelly’s film credits include screenwriting for both Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures, as well as writing and producing for such popular television shows as The Dick Cavett Show, Good Morning America, and Saturday Night Live. Her documentary for Public Television To Live for Ireland (1987) was nominated for an Emmy and won the special jury award at the San Francisco Film Festival. The author’s first published book, Martin Scorsese: A Journey (1991), was a critical and commercial success in the United States and on the best-seller list in Britain.