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African American Servicemen in Guam?

Discussion in 'Information Requests' started by Timehonored Things, Jun 1, 2023.

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  1. Timehonored Things

    Timehonored Things New Member

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    Hello!
    I had a wonderful surprise not too long ago, I stumbled upon a film my grandfather recorded while stationed in Guam during WWII. (As well as boot camp) The film dates before the end of the war, 1945.

    I uploaded the film to YouTube and to my surprise I had seen a clip where there are African American servicemen in the background.
    I'm not making this political. And please don't confuse me with being insensitive.
    My curiosity set in and I just want to learn more about them. I tried looking up to see if I could find Afr. Americans stationed in Guam for the AAF and I couldn't find anything. All I had found was that there were marines.
    I had found that groups were segregated, but I'm not sure I quite understand if that meant they were still in the same unit, or if they were put into one more exclusive.

    Please excuse my ignorance on the matter of history regarding WWII, but does anyone have any information about this group?

    Here's a link to the video:


    The clip I'm referring to is about 2:25 - 2:55
     
    Timehonored Things, Jun 1, 2023
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  2. Temujin

    Temujin Active Member

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    I can’t tell you which units had African Americans in them, but I can give you a list of all units station in Guam in 1945 if you wish to investigate further.

    IMG_8140.jpeg

    IMG_8141.jpeg

    IMG_8142.jpeg

    IMG_8143.jpeg

    IMG_8144.jpeg

    IMG_8145.jpeg

    IMG_8146.jpeg
     
    Temujin, Jun 2, 2023
    #2
  3. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    OpanaPointer, Jun 2, 2023
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  4. Temujin

    Temujin Active Member

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    LIBERATION — Guam Remembers
    A Golden Salute for the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Guam
    IN APPRECIATION BY THE PEOPLE OF GUAM
    TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY, UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCE, UNITED STATES COAST GUARD, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, UNITED STATES NAVY, GUAM CIVILIAN SCOUTS AND GUAM COMBAT PATROL WITH THE FOLLOWING UNITS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE LIBERATION OF GUAM:


    FORCE TROOPS

    Headquarters and Service Battalion, III Amphibious Corps (less detachments)
    Signal Battalion, III Amphibious Corps (less detachments)
    4th Marine Ammunition Company
    Detachment ARGUS 17 (Shore-based Fighter Director Unit)
    Detachment, Marine Air Warning Squadron-2
    Detachment, 756th Air Warning Company (Army)
    Communication Unit 41 (Navy)

    III AMPHIBIOUS CORPS ARTILLERY

    Headquarters and Headquarters and Service Battery, III Amphibious Corps Artillery
    1st 155mm Howitzer Battalion (less Battery C attached to Brigade Artillery Group on landing)
    2d 155mm Howitzer Battalion
    7th 155mm Gun Battalion
    Marine Reconnaissance Squadron 1

    3RD MARINE DIVISION (Reinforced)

    9th Combat Team
    9th Marines
    1st Battalion (less Companies B and C), 19th Marines (Engineers)
    Company D, 19th Marines (Pioneers)
    Company G. 25th Naval Construction Battalion (plus detachment, Headquarters Company)
    3d lank Battalion (less Companies B and C)
    Reconnaissance Company (less 2 platoons), 3d Headquarters Battalion
    1st Messenger Dog Section (less 1 squad),
    2d War Dog Platoon
    1st Scout Dog Section (less 1 squad), 3d War Dog Platoon
    Company A, 3d Motor Transport Battalion
    Company A, 3d Medical Battalion
    1st Band Section
    Detachment, 3d Joint Assault Signal Company
    21st Combat Team
    21st Marines
    Company B, 19th Marines (Engineers)
    2d Battalion (less Companies D and F), 19th Marines (Pioneers)
    Company H, 25th Naval Construction Battalion (plus detachment, Headquarters Company)
    1st and 2d Platoons, Company B 3d Tank Battalion
    2d Platoon, Reconnaissance Company, 3d Headquarters Battalion
    2d Messenger Dog Section (less 1 squad), 2d War Dog Platoon
    2d Scout Dog Section (less 1 squad), 3d War Dog Platoon
    Company B, 3d Motor Transport Battalion
    Company B, 3d Medical Battalion
    2d Band Section
    Detachment, 3d Joint Assault Signal Company
    3d Combat Team
    3d Marines
    Company C, 19th Marines (Engineers)
    Company F, 19th Marines (Pioneers)
    25th Naval Construction Battalion (less Companies G and H and 2 detachments, Headquarters Company)
    Company C, 3d Tank Battalion
    3d Messenger Dog Section (less 1 squad), 2d War Dog Platoon
    3d Scout Dog Section (less 1 squad), 3d War Dog Platoon
    Company C, 3d Motor Transport Battalion
    Company C, 3d Medical Battalion
    3d Band Section
    Detachment, 3d Joint Assault Signal Company
    12th Marines (Reinforced)
    12th Marines
    14th Defense Battalion (less 155mm Seacoast Artillery group, 2 90mm batteries, 1 search light platoon and detachments, Headquarters and Service Battery)
    Artillery Liaison Group, III Amphibious Corps
    1st Armored Amphibian Battalion (less Companies A and B)
    3d Amphibian Tractor Battalion (Reinforced)
    Motor Transport Battalion (less Company C), III Amphibious Corps (DUKW'S)
    Reserve Group
    3d Headquarters Battalion (less 3 band Sections and 3d Reconnaissance Company less 4th Platoon)
    Company B (less 2 platoons), 3d Tank battalion
    2d War Dog Platoon (less 6 squads)
    3d War Dog Platoon (less 6 squads)
    3d Joint Assault Signal Company (less detachments)
    Detachment, Signal Battalion, III Amphibious Corps
    Engineer Group
    19th Marines (less 1st and 2d Battalions)
    2d Separate Engineer Battalion
    Company B, 2d Special Naval Construction Battalion
    Garrison Beach Party
    Service Group
    3d Service Battalion (less detachments)
    3d Medical Battalion (less Companies A, B, C)
    3d Motor Transport Battalion (less Companies A, B, C)
    Detachment, Service Group, 5th Field Depot
    2d Marine Ammunition Company (less 4th Platoon)

    1ST PROVISIONAL MARINE BRIGADE

    Brigade Troops
    Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
    Military Police Company (less 1st and 2d Platoons), 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
    Signal Company (less detachments), 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
    4th Combat Team
    4th Marines
    Tank Company, 4th Marines
    Engineer Company, 4th Marines
    Pioneer Company, 4th Marines
    Medical Company, 4th Marines
    Motor Transport Company, 4th Marines
    Reconnaissance Platoon, 4th Marines
    Ordnance Platoon, 4th Marines
    Service and Supply Platoon, 4th Marines
    1st Platoon, Military Police Company, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
    4th Platoon, 2d Marine Ammunition Company
    Detachment, 5th Field Depot
    1st War Dog Platoon
    1st Joint Assault Signal Party, Signal Company, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
    22d Combat Team
    22d Marines
    Tank Company, 22d Marines
    Pioneer Company, 22d Marines
    Engineer Company, 22d Marines
    Medical Company, 22d Marines
    Motor Transport Company, 22d Marines
    Reconnaissance Platoon, 22d Marines
    Ordnance Platoon, 22d Marines
    Service and Supply Platoon, 22d Marines
    Band Section, 22d Marines
    2d Platoon, Military Police Company, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
    1st Provisional Replacement Company
    Detachment, 5th Field Depot
    Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 515 (Navy)
    2d Joint Assault Signal Party, Signal Company, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
    Companies A and B, 1st Armored Amphibian Battalion
    Amphibian Tractor Group
    4th Amphibian Tractor Battalion (Reinforced)
    Company C, Motor Transport Battalion, III Amphibious Corps (DUKW's)

    Artillery Group
    Artillery Headquarters Detachment, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
    75mm Pack Howitzer Battalion, 4th Marines
    75mm Pack Howitzer Battalion, 22d Marines
    305th Field Artillery Battalion (attached on landing)
    Battery C, 1st 1 55mm Howitzer Batta(ion (attached on landing)
    305th Combat Team (USA)
    305th Infantry
    305th Field Artillery Battalion (detached on landing)
    Battery A, 7th Antiaircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion (detached on landing)
    Company C, 706th Tank Battalion (less 1 platoon)
    242d Engineer Combat Battalion
    Company A, 302d Engineer Combat Battalion
    Company A and 1 platoon, Company D, 302d Medical Battalion
    1 platoon, Company A, 88th Chemical Battalion
    Detachment, 77th Signal Company
    Detachment, 777th Ordnance Company
    Detachment, 292d Joint Assault Signal Company
    Detachment, Prisoner of War Interrogation Team

    Antiaircraft Group
    9th Defense Battalion (less 155mm Seacoast Artillery Group, 90mm Antiaircraft Group, and detachments, Headquarters, Service Battery)
    Battery A, 7th Antiaircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion (attached on landing)
    53d Naval Construction Battalion
    Medical Battalion, III Amphibious Corps Reinforced)

    77TH INFANTRY DIVISION

    Division troops
    Headquarters, 77th Infantry Division
    Special Troops
    Headquarters Company, 77th Infantry Division
    Military Police Platoon, 77th Infantry Div.
    777th Ordnance Company (Light Maintenance) (less detachments)
    77th Quartermaster Company
    77th Signal Company (less detachments)
    77th Infantry Division Band
    77th Reconnaissance Troop
    Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 77th Infantry Division Artillery
    306th Field Artillery Battalion
    302d Engineer Combat Battalion (less Companies A, B, and C)
    302d Medical Battalion (less Companies A. B. C and 1 platoon, Company D)
    36th Field Hospital (less 2 platoons)
    95th Portable Surgical Hospital
    Company A (less 1 platoon), 88th Chemical Battalion
    92d Bomb Disposal Squad
    292d Joint Assault Signal Company (less detachments)
    7th Antiaircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion (less Companies A, B, and C (less 1 platoon))
    404th Ordnance Company (Medium Maintenance)
    Prisoner of War Interrogation Team (less detachments)
    Detachment, Counter Intelligence Corps Joint Intelligence Center, Pacific Ocean Areas Team
    Signal Photo Sections 1 and 2
    306th Combat Team
    306th Infantry
    304th Field Artillery Battalion
    Company B, 302d Engineer Combat Battalion
    132d Engineer Combat Battalion
    Detachment, 292d Joint Assault Signal Company
    Company B, 302d Medical Battalion
    Company B, 7th Antiaircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion
    Detachment, 77th Signal Company
    Detachment, 777th Ordnance Company
    Company B, 706th Tank Battalion
    1st Platoon, 36th Field Hospital
    307th Combat Team
    307th Infantry
    902d Field Artillery Battalion
    Company C, 302d Engineer Combat Battalion
    233d Engineer Combat Battalion
    Detachment, 292d Joint Assault Signal Company
    Company C, 302d Medical Battalion
    Company C, 7th Antiaircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion
    Company A, 706th Tank Battalion
    Detachment, 77th Signal Company
    Detachment, 777th Ordnance Company
    2d Platoon, 36th Field Hospital

    GARRISON FORCE

    1st Provisional Base Headquarters Battalion
    3d Marine Division (Reinforced)
    14th Defense Battalion (less detachments)
    9th Defense Battalion (less detachments)
    2d Special Engineer Battalion
    25th Naval Construction Battalion
    53d Naval Construction Battalion
    Company B, 2d Special Naval Construction Battalion
    Communication Unit 41
    5th Field Depot
    Detachment, 5th Naval Construction Brigade
    Detachment, Marine Air Oroup 21
    Detachment, Lion 6 Advance Naval Base
    Detachment, Argus 17
    Detachment, Marine Air Warning Squadron 2
    Detachment, 746th Air Warning Company
    Guam Civilian Scouts
    Guam Combat Patrol




    War in the Pacific NHP: Liberation - Guam Remembers
     
    Temujin, Jun 2, 2023
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  5. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    Without doing research, I'm pretty sure that units were composed of only African American troops. They were segregated from other troops and fulfilled jobs like cooks, etc. Except for the Montford Marines, I'm not aware of African American troops that were combat related in 1942. When my father was put into a combat unit in 1945, he was attached to the 92nd Division composed of African American troops. Integration of units didn't occur until after the war. Not helpful I know, but you have a lot of research ahead of you.
     
    LRusso216, Jun 2, 2023
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  6. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    General George Catlett Marshall told FDR "a war is no time to conduct social experimentation." I'm not sure his logic worked, being that war is a MAJOR social experiment.
     
    OpanaPointer, Jun 2, 2023
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  7. Biak

    Biak Boy from Illinois Staff Member

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    There's an esteemed (extreme), member on this forum that was instrumental in preserving and formulating the best "Go To" site on the Web for anything WW2. Larry/ Opanapointer. And we're fortunate that our Great leader Otto has taken the reins keeping HyperWar alive and carrying on.
    But be forewarned, it is easy to get lost and forget time once you start perusing.

    www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar

    Employment of Negro Troops

    HyperWar: The Negro in the Navy

    Just a brief preview;

    Older Navy men today recall the service of Negroes aboard the larger combatant vessels from the turn of the century through the first World War. They served not only in the messman branch, but also held various skilled ratings as artificers. There is some confusion in the evidence as to whether in this period Negroes were enlisted for general service as well as for the messman branch, or only for the latter. Testimony of men who knew the Navy through those years is at variance; some enlistment records have been seen which indicate direct enlistment for general service, but these may always have been departures from a general rule.

    In any case, when the size of the Navy was curtailed in consequence of the disarmament movement following World War I, enlistment of Negroes seems to have been discontinued by BuNav. Recruiting of Negroes as messmen may have been kept open formally, but at least in practice only Filipinos were recruited for this branch from about 1919-1922 until December, 1932. About December 1932, active recruiting of Negroes for the messman branch began and this was the only branch in which Negroes could enlist until recruiting for general service was opened to them as of June 1, 1942. When World War II opened there were on active duty in the Navy, in other than the messman branch, six rated Negroes of the regular Navy, 23 rated men who had returned from retirement to service in the regular Navy and 14 rated men of the Fleet Reserve.
     
    Biak, Jun 2, 2023
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  8. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    I've heard of that place.
     
    OpanaPointer, Jun 2, 2023
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    Otto likes this.
  9. USMCPrice

    USMCPrice Idiot at Large

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    All black Marines in WWII were Montford Point Marines (actually 1942 to 1949). The Marine Corps had no black Marines prior to WWII. The Marine Corps had two Recruit Depots where basic training was conducted, Parris Island, SC and San Diego, California. When black Marines started to be enlisted, and due to the racial segregation of the US Armed Forces at the time, the Marine Corps established a basic training facility for black Marines at Montford Point.
    In May 1941, the Marine Corps began constructing a new base located in North Carolina, named Marine Corps Base New River, the original base headquarters was located at Montford Point. When black Marines started to be recruited in 1942, the Headquarters moved to Hadnot Point and a third Recruit Depot for black Marines was established at Montford Point. When former Commandant, John A. LeJeune died on November 20, 1942, MCB New River was renamed Camp LeJeune. Camp LeJeune still consists of MCAS New River, Camp Geiger, Montford Point (now renamed Camp Johnson), Hadnot Point and Courthouse Bay sub-facilities.
    The black Marines served in the 51st and 52d Composite Defense Battalions and a large number of Marine Ammunition Companys and Marine Depot Companys. They were considered Service troops, not frontline combat troops. IIRC, they were first involved in combat at Saipan in June of 1944, and then the invasions of Tinian and Guam.

    Interestingly enough, when Truman ordered the military desegregated in 1948, the Marine Corps fully complied with all units being fully integrated. The US Army responded by partially integrating a few units but primarily by putting all-black subordinate units within their larger commands. General MacArthur did not like or trust black troops and one of his senior commanders, General Ned Almond, ADC of the black 93d Infantry Division and Commanding General of the black 92d Division in Italy during WWII, was a poor general and an avowed racist. In Korea some all black units, such as the 24th Infantry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division, were unfairly blamed for the poor performance of their overall commands. Yes, the 24th Infantry did perform very poorly, but so did the other units in the 25th Division. From the US Army's official history site: "In late September 1950, two months after the beginning of the Korean War, the commander of the 25th Infantry Division, Major General William B. Kean, requested that the Eighth Army disband the all-black 24th Infantry regiment because it had demonstrated that it was "untrustworthy and incapable of carrying out missions expected of an infantry regiment."

    Back to the OP's question. I did not see any of the Marine Units listed under Temujin's Army HQ, Garrison Force documents, I suspect they were attached to the command of NAS Agana, and not part of the Army Air Forces Command. So, to answer your question, the black Marines would be part of an all-black enlisted, primarily or exclusively white officers, service and support unit.

     
    USMCPrice, Jun 7, 2023
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