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Blacks and America's Wars |
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French and Indian War (1756-63) - British colonists and soldiers in America were aided by blacks who served as scouts, laborers and wagoneers in militias.
Revolutionary War(1775-1783) - An estimated 5,000 black slaves and freedmen fought in the Continental army, navy and militia during the war, including Salem Poor, who battled at Bunker Hill.
War of 1812 - Black sailors represented 10 percent to 15 percent of U.S. Navy crews. Two battalions of 430 black soldiers fought with Gen. Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans in 1815.
Mexican-American War (1846) - About 1,000 black sailors served on U.S. ships blockading ports during the war.
Civil War (1861-1865) - Some 235,000 black soldiers and 30,000 black sailors fought in at least 450 battles for the Union. There were 68,000 casualties (including 37,000 killed); 23 Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded.
Indian Campaigns (1866-1890) - Soldiers of the all-black 9th and 10th Cavalry who fought out West during the Indian Campaigns became known as the "Buffalo Soldiers."
Spanish-American War(1898) - Twenty-two black sailors went down with the rest of the crew on the U.S. battleship Maine. Buffalo Soldierswere beside future President Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders during the famed charge up San Juan Hill. Blacks were awarded six Medals of Honor during that conflict.
World War I (1914-1918) - About 10 percent of the 400,000 blacks in the military served in front-line units, including the all-black 369th Infantry Regiment, the "Harlem Hellfighters." The unit lost almost a third of its soldiers in combat.
World War II (1939-1945) - Some 2.5 million blacks registered for military service during the war and 1 million served, including 695,000 in the Army and 19,000 Marines. Dorie Miller, who shot down six Japanese planes at Pearl Harbor, was among 167,000 black sailors in the Navy. The all-black 99th Fighter Squadron and 332nd Fighter Group, collectively known as the Tuskegee Airmen, fought in Europe. There were about 4,600 black women in uniform.
Korean War(1950-1953) - In 1948, President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981, integrating U.S. armed forces. Five years later, during the war, blacks represented 13 percent of all U.S. forces; 40 percent of that number in combat units. There were 3,100 blacks killed (8.4 percent of the total), and two soldiers awarded Medals of Honor.
Vietnam War(1961-73) - Blacks represented nearly 10 percent of all active-duty military personnel, and suffered 12.4 percent of the combat deaths. Among 20 black soldiers and Marines awarded Medals of Honorwas Army Sgt. Donald Long, 27, of Blackfork, Ohio, who threw himself on a grenade to save eight of his comrades.
Persian Gulf War (1990-91) - Nearly 20 percent of all U.S. armed forces were black, as were 24 percent (104,000) of the service personnel sent to the conflict - suffering 17 percent of the combat casualties. Colin Powellbecame a household name as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, overseeing the American military effort.
Iraqi War(2003-present). Blacks represent 21 percent of enlisted personnel, 8 percent of officers and 15 percent of combat troops. Some 46 percent of enlisted women are black. When the combat death toll recently hit 1,350, some 153 blacks were included.
Compiled by reporters Brian Albrecht and Dave Davis using reports from the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Army and U.S. Department of Defense.
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