who proud black american soldier.

Indeed, the legacy of African American military valor and achievement is a source of pride for African Americans in all walks of life. But the changes the military went through to accept the presence of black men in uniform largely reflected efforts to integrate into society at large. The history of truly heroic achievements by African American soldiers is as honorable as any in military history. They contain… March 3, 1770 - The first American to die in the Revolutionary War was a black soldier named Crispus Attucks. He was killed when British soldiers fired on a peaceful assembly in Boston, Massachusetts that started the war that led to American independence. * In World War 2, Vernon J. Baker took the lead in attacks dug into German machine gun emplacements and destroyed six and killed twenty-six German soldiers. He received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery. December 7, 1941 - During the horrific attacks on Pearl Harbor, a black galley cook named Dories, Miller jumped aboard the USS West Virginia while his fellow soldiers lay wounded and dying all around him. He bravely took control of the deck machine gun emplacement and fended off the dive bombers to prevent them from further killing and injuring his comrades in arms. For her bravery, Dories, Miller, received the first Silver Star of World War II. These are just a few of the hundreds of stories of courage and outstanding service to the country created by blacks throughout American history. In the military, racial prejudice has long since disappeared, for when men stand side by side in battle, brothers come first, comrades second, and race only third, if at all. Battle has a way of leveling all men, and true soldiers know it. So the military was an opportunity to cultivate equality and acceptance because it's a culture where being a good soldier is always more important than any petty prejudices any man might have. But the military as an institution took longer to catch up to what soldiers instinctively learned on the new battlefield—that all men are equal when they are brothers in arms. Finally, on July 26, 1948, President Truman issued Executive Order 9981, which clearly stated what the US military's policy was regarding racial segregation… It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that equal treatment and equal opportunity shall be provided to all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin. This policy will be implemented as quickly as possible, with due regard to the time required to make any necessary changes without reducing efficiency or morale. We can be thankful for courageous leadership like President Truman and the leadership of the military establishment that set the tone for eventual social condemnation of segregation. While it is unfortunate that Americans have had to maintain an army for centuries to fight their enemies, there is no doubt that the high ethical and moral conduct that soldiers need to perform in combat follows these men into society as they serve their country's over. And this is one of the many reasons why the desegregation of the military dictated that not only would racism no longer be tolerated by the US military, but it would soon be considered ignorant and unacceptable in American society as well. While there is still work to be done to make this dream a reality, achievements like the ones we've discussed lay the foundation for a better world of integration for all American citizens.