The Story of the U.S. Navy’s Golden 13
Then, in February of that same year, something historical happened that had never happened before in the history of the United States Military: the Navy commissioned its first African-American officers. This was a momentous occasion for the Navy, the men involved, African-Americans, and for the United States.
Up until this time, there were approximately one hundred thousand African-American men serving in the United States Navy. However, none of those men were naval officers. All of the naval officers were Caucasian.
There were a total of thirteen men that were commissioned. They were soon known as the “Golden Thirteen.” The group consisted of John Walter Reagan, Jesse Walter Arbor, Dalton Louis Baugh, Frank Ellis Sublett, Graham Edward Martin, Charles Byrd Lear, Phillip George Barnes, Reginald E. Goodwin, James Edward Hair, Samuel Edward Barnes, George Clinton Cooper, William Sylvester White, and Dennis Denmark Nelson.
Truth or fiction, the story goes that the United States Navy didn’t believe that these thirteen African-American men would succeed at becoming officers. But, through a great deal of courage, perseverance, and commitment, make it they did! And they not only led the way for future African-Americans, but each one made a personal contribution to the Navy and to the United States.
For example, William Sylvester White was born on July 14, 1914, in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated with a law degree from the University of Chicago in 1935. Later on, he served his country in the Navy from October 1943 to March 1946. White was a Public Information Officer. His principal job was to be a go-between between the Navy and the African-American media.
After he was discharged from military service, White became a judge in the appellate court in Chicago, Illinois. He was honored as being the “Judge of the Year” from the Cook County (Illinois) Bar Association in 1972. William White passed away on February 16, 2004.
The Naval leaders finally agreed to change the rules for its officers at this time because of rising pressures from American civil rights leaders. Unfortunately, the commissioned African-American officers weren’t treated with the respect they deserved. They were assigned lackey jobs. They didn’t get perks like the other officers did. And, worst of all, when each man was discharged from the Navy, none of them were shown formal appreciation for their esteemed service.
However, that’s about to change. The country’s first World War II memorial is scheduled to be built in 2006. It will be designed by Sutter Architects of Libertyville. It will be built in North Chicago’s Veterans Memorial Park. And a federal grant is the source of funding for the memorial.
The memorial will honor all of the veterans who served in the second World War. But, it will contain special plaques that will commemorate the service of the “Golden 13”, as well as other African-American military legends.
Final Note: President Truman finally desegregated the military in 1948.
