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In the sixth week of basic training, two of us were sent over to the headquarters building. The captain wanted to let us know that we had been selected for overseas duty. This was great news. I had applied for
“I have
your orders to go overseas.”
“France ?” I asked.
“No, you are going to Germany .” The
captain said.
The military would try to accommodate your request, but their
requirements came first. A little
disappointed that I wasn't going to France ,
I still looked forward to going to Europe .
With basic training done, six young men
from Detroit
headed back home on the train. Someplace in Texas , the train stopped so that we could
stretch our legs and get a snack. The six of us got off the train and went into
the restaurant to get something to eat. We were all dressed in our nice, new
blue uniforms, proudly representing the United States Air Force. I walked into
the restaurant with all my buddies, and before we could sit down, the waiter
looked at me and the other black serviceman and said.
Born and raised in the
South, I had experienced discrimination before, but this time it hurt me deeply
because I was dressed in my US Air Force uniform and was prepared to die for
our country, and yet my fellow countryman still would not serve us.
This was the United
States in 1962. No one should ever have to
experience that kind of treatment! The both us just got back on the train
without eating and sat in silence. We began basic training as six buddies from Detroit and returned as
four white serviceman and two black servicemen.