Download or read book Lasting Valor written by Vernon J. Baker and published by Bantam. This book was released on 1999 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Purple Heart and Medal of Honor winner Vernon J. Baker eloquently portrays the hell of war in "Lasting Valor", from serving in a segregated Army to watching his men being killed by enemy fire. This bittersweet chronicle tells how Baker was orphaned at age four, and raised by his grandparents in the nearly all-white town of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Filled with unexpected humor and moving insights, this book is a story about love, heartbreak, racism and rediscovery, and most of all, honor and dignity.
Download or read book Immortal Valor written by Robert Child and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2022-01-06 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The remarkable story of the seven African American soldiers ultimately awarded the World War II Medal of Honor, and the 50-year campaign to deny them their recognition. In 1945, when Congress began reviewing the record of the most conspicuous acts of courage by American soldiers during World War II, they recommended awarding the Medal of Honor to 432 recipients. Despite the fact that more than one million African-Americans served, not a single black soldier received the Medal of Honor. The omission remained on the record for over four decades. But recent historical investigations have brought to light some of the extraordinary acts of valor performed by black soldiers during the war. Men like Vernon Baker, who single-handedly eliminated three enemy machineguns, an observation post, and a German dugout. Or Sergeant Reuben Rivers, who spearhead his tank unit's advance against fierce German resistance for three days despite being grievously wounded. Meanwhile Lieutenant Charles Thomas led his platoon to capture a strategically vital village on the Siegfried Line in 1944 despite losing half his men and suffering a number of wounds himself. Ultimately, in 1993 a US Army commission determined that seven men, including Baker, Rivers and Thomas, had been denied the Army's highest award simply due to racial discrimination. In 1997, more than 50 years after the war, President Clinton finally awarded the Medal of Honor to these seven heroes, sadly all but one of them posthumously. These are their stories.
Download or read book Brothers in Valor written by Jefferson Jr. and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2018-10-26 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the Battle of Fort Wagner in 1863, Sgt. William Harvey Carney picked up the fallen flag from his lifeless comrade. He waved the flag for all of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry to see and led the way to the parapet to plant the colors. After Col. Robert Gould Shaw was mortally wounded, Carney inspired his infantry forward. Even after sustaining severe wounds, Carney proudly declared, “Boys, the old flag never touched the ground!” After this battle, Carney became the first African American to receive the Medal of Honor. Since the American Civil War, scores of African Americans have served with great distinction. Through thousands of historical accounts, photographs, and documentary evidence, Robert Jefferson introduces the 89 black soldiers who continued forward when all odds were against them. The heroes within these pages faced certain death and definite danger without flinching. Jefferson paints a vivid portrait of African-American soldiers who carried the flag of freedom and how they reshaped the very definition of courage under fire during some of the most harrowing moments in United States military history. In turn, their courage and determination left an indelible mark on the American portrait.
Download or read book Knocking Down Barriers written by Truman K. Gibson, Jr. and published by Northwestern University Press. This book was released on 2021-08-16 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner, 2006 Illinois State Historical Society Book Award Certificate of Excellence Recipient, 2007 Hyde Park Historical Society Paul Cornell Award Knocking Down Barriers is the memoir of a life spent making a difference. In 1940, when Truman Gibson reported for duty at the War Department, Washington was like a southern city in its seemingly unalterable segregation and oppressive summer heat. Gibson had no illusions about the nation’s racism, but as a Chicagoan who’d enjoyed the best of the vibrant Black culture of prewar America, he was shocked to find the worst of the Jim Crow South in the capital. What Gibson accomplished as an advocate for African American soldiers—first as a lawyer working for the secretary of war, then as a member of Harry S. Truman’s “Black cabinet”—fueled the struggle for civil rights in the American military. A University of Chicago Law School graduate, Gibson took his fight for racial justice to the corridors of power, arguing against restrictive real estate covenants before the US Supreme Court, opposing such iconic military figures as Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and George C. Marshall to demand the integration of the armed forces, and challenging white control of professional sports by creating a boxing empire that made television history. Filled with firsthand details and little-known stories about key advancements in race relations in the worlds of law, the military, sports, and entertainment, Gibson’s memoir is also an engaging recollection of encounters with the likes of Thurgood Marshall, W. E. B. Du Bois, Eleanor Roosevelt, George Patton, Jackie Robinson, and Joe Louis. Winner of the 2006 Illinois State Historical Society Book Award Certificate of Excellence, Knocking Down Barriers illuminates social milestones that continue to shape race in the United States today.
Download or read book Army written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 1126 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Black Nonfiction Books Their Authors and Their Publishers written by Harry B. Dunbar and published by Queenhyte Pub. This book was released on 2001-11-06 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Greatest Medal of Honor Stories Ever Told written by Tom McCarthy and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2018-04-01 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The Greatest Medal of Honor Stories Ever Told, editor Tom McCarthy has pulled together some of the finest writings about heroes awarded the highest military honor that capture readers imaginations. The one thing the heroes in this collection have in common—from the bloody battlefields of the Civil War through the lonely mountains of Afghanistan—is uncommon valor. Each of the men in these stories had the courage to calmly stare death in the face and move on—to do what they had to because that was their duty and the lives of others meant more to them than their own. Chosen from hundreds of accounts of singular devotion to duty, the stories in Medal of Honor stand out for their jaw-dropping tales of bravery. They are the best. No small feat.
Download or read book Old Glory Stories written by Cole Kingseed and published by Naval Institute Press. This book was released on 2013-11-15 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Saying that no generation of Americans has produced a finer array of combat commanders than that of World War II, a thirty-year army veteran examines combat leadership throughout the war at every level of command in the U.S. Army. The author argues that although Army chief of staff George C. Marshall s organization and training policies were indispensable, the ultimate victory was the result of spirited leadership and the undaunted courage of those who served, from individual riflemen to the upper echelons of army command. Rather than a history of battles and campaigns, this book is an analysis of leadership in combat over three continents and across two oceans. It looks at how soldiers react in war -—how sergeants, lieutenants, captains, and generals direct soldiers in the most intense of all human dramas. The first part focuses on the generals and takes a thematic approach, examining such topics as restoring the fighting spirit and analyzing the unique characteristics required to command special units in combat. The second part examines a special breed of junior leaders who fought the German and Japanese armies on the front lines and whose contributions merit attention. Like war correspondent Ernie Pyle, Kingseed includes both the big and the little to offer a balanced view of what makes a good combat leader.
Download or read book African American War Heroes written by James B. Martin and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2014-05-12 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Detailed profiles bring stories of African American heroism in the U.S. armed forces to life, from the American Revolution through the conflict in Afghanistan. African American war heroes remain largely unsung, their courage and valor relegated to the less traveled corners of history. This work seeks out those heroes—soldiers, sailors, flyers, and marines—who earned their nation's highest medals in defense of freedom and equality. Some of these men and women died on the battlefield. Others returned to civilian life in a segregated country. What they share across time and circumstance is devotion to duty and to the country they defended, even in the face of personal and racial prejudice. Entries profile decorated African Americans from all of the U.S. conflicts since the Revolutionary War. In addition to providing basic biographical data, each profile offers a detailed account of the individual's heroic actions. The book also offers sidebars on events and topics relevant to African Americans in the U.S. armed forces, such as histories of the 54th Massachusetts and the Tuskegee Airmen.
Download or read book African Americans in the Military written by Catherine Reef and published by Infobase Publishing. This book was released on 2014-05-14 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout much of the United States's history
Download or read book The Modern American Speaker for School and College Students Lawyers Preachers Teachers and All Interested in the Art of Public Speaking written by Edwin Du Bois Shurter and published by . This book was released on 1901 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Black America 2 volumes written by Alton Hornsby Jr. and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2011-08-23 with total page 1031 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This two-volume encyclopedia presents a state-by-state history of African Americans in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. African American populations are established in every area of the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska (more than10 percent of the population of Fairbanks, Alaska, is African American). Black Americans have played an invaluable role in creating our great nation in myriad ways, including their physical contributions and labor during the slavery era; intellectually, spiritually, and politically; in service to our country in military duty; and in areas of popular culture such as music, art, sports, and entertainment. The chapters extend chronologically from the colonial period to the present. Each chapter presents a timeline of African American history in the state, a historical overview, notable African Americans and their pioneering accomplishments, and state-specific traditions or activities. This state-by-state treatment of information allows readers to take pride in what happened in their state and in the famous people who came from their state.
Download or read book African Americans at War 2 volumes written by Jonathan Sutherland and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2003-12-05 with total page 844 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fascinating chronicle of the endeavors of African Americans who fought for their country: this book recounts their stories, their bravery, and their contributions. African Americans at War puts a human face on this neglected area of history. From pre-Revolutionary fighting against the French to cutting-edge combat against Saddam Hussein, these A–Z volumes underscore significant military contributions from African Americans. The two volumes provide comprehensive coverage of aspects including important historical figures; key battles, legislation, and rulings; honors awarded; regiments, formations, and squadrons; and significant places. Individuals portrayed include celebrated Revolutionary hero Crispus Attucks and Lieutenant Vernon J. Baker, who led his platoon in a near suicidal attack on German positions in 1945. Often marginalized in support functions and frequently given suicidal missions, African Americans have served with distinction and honor in all U.S. conflicts. Their stories, endeavors, and bravery are now chronicled in one accessible resource. This set investigates each war, the interwar years, integration periods, and acceptance of African American men and women on the military team. This is a fascinating compendium spanning all U.S. history.
Download or read book Ethnic and Racial Minorities in the U S Military 2 volumes written by Alexander M. Bielakowski and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2013-01-11 with total page 1064 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This encyclopedia details the participation of individual ethnic and racial minority groups throughout U.S. military history. Ethnic and Racial Minorities in the U.S. Military: An Encyclopedia is unique in its coverage of nearly all major ethnic and racial minority groups, as opposed to reference works that have focused only on individual ethnic or racial minority groups. It acknowledges the military contributions of African Americans, Asian Americans, French Americans, German Americans, Hispanic Americans, Irish Americans, Jewish Americans, and Native Americans. This timely work highlights the individuals and events that have shaped the experience of minorities in U.S. conflicts. The work provides a comprehensive encyclopedia covering the role of all major ethnic and racial minorities in the United States during wartime. Additionally, it considers how the integration of servicemen in the U.S. military set the precedent for the eventual desegregation of America's civilian population.
Download or read book America s Heroes written by James H. Willbanks and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2011-03-11 with total page 557 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book features the stories of 200 heroic individuals awarded the Medal of Honor for their distinguished military service while fighting for their country, from the Civil War to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. America's Heroes: Medal of Honor Recipients from the Civil War to Afghanistan pays tribute to Americans who have demonstrated uncommon valor in the face of great danger. The Medal of Honor recipients featured in this book all acted heroically to earn this highly coveted award, many of them by risking—or sacrificing—their lives to save the lives of others. The stories of these individuals—chosen to reflect the wide diversity of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, branches of service, and conflicts of the recipients—will broaden readers' understanding and appreciation of the Medal of Honor and the distinguished Americans who have received it. In addition to the gripping stories of these heroic Americans, this unique encyclopedia includes an introduction that chronicles the evolution in the award's significance. The Medal of Honor has changed greatly over the last 150 years, not only in the design of the physical decoration itself, but also in terms of the qualifying criteria for the award's recipients.
Download or read book My Father s War written by Carolyn Ross Johnston and published by University of Alabama Press. This book was released on 2012-08-03 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author draws on her father's account of the war and her extensive interviews with other veterans of the 92nd Division to describe the experiences of a naive southern white officer and his segregated unit on an intimate level. During the war, the protocol that required the assignment of southern white officers to command black units, both in Europe and in the Pacific theater, was often problematic, but Johnston seemed more successful than most, earning the trust and respect of his men at the same time that he learned to trust and respect them. Gene Johnston and the African American soldiers were transformed by the war and upon their return helped transform the nation. The 92nd Division of the Fifth Army was the only African American infantry division to see combat in Europe during 1944 and 1945, suffering more than 3,200 casualties. Members of this unit, known as Buffalo Soldiers, endured racial violence on the home front and experienced racism abroad. Engaged in combat for nine months, they were under the command of southern white infantry officers like their captain, Eugene E. Johnston.
Download or read book The 92nd Infantry Division and the Italian Campaign in World War II written by Daniel K. Gibran and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2017-07-06 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work focuses on the all black 92nd Infantry Division in the Italian Campaign in World War II and the poor combat performance of the division in Italy. An introduction provides an overall view of the Italian Campaign and the role of the 92nd Infantry Division. The author then examines the reasons for the division's troubles on and off the battlefield, such as the low morale among the soldiers because of racial segregation, the limited facilities provided for them, and their lack of trust in their leadership. All of these issues are explored at length. Information on the early life and military training and experience of General Ned Almond is provided, along with the stories of Vernon Baker and John Fox, who emerged as leaders but endured a long struggle for recognition. The author concludes this work on a personal note by telling of his involvement as principal investigator of Acting Secretary of the Army John Shannon's study of why no African American received the Medal of Honor in World War II (a situation that was rectified in the late 1990s: See Elliott V. Converse, Daniel K. Gibran et al., The Exclusion of Black Soldiers from the Medal of Honor in World War II, McFarland 1997, $29.95).
