PS5: Attitudes toward Civilians

I am an enlisted man in the Army of the United States not Selective Service. And I believe that enlisted men appreciate and like the army much more than the S.S. men [draftees]. Everyone I have spoke to who has enlisted said if they were in civilian life they would enlist again even if they knew what it was like. Most of the SS men say they would never enlist.

I also find I have very little time to write letters.

I take this opportunity to make a few remarks concerning discrimination in the armed forces of our great democracy. We as American soldiers are fighting and dying for a cause that does not exist. True the Caucasuan race has a glorious future in this country but look for one moment at the downtrodden Negro. He is expected to do his part as well as the white man. Yet the conditions under which he must live in the south are shameful Many of our southern whites seem to show many traits of character that our dear friend Adolph uses so effectively. All in all, this is a good country and we have the basis for a better country. It is my opinion that time and time alone will iron out the rough spots and make this a better place to live for all men.

The greatest trouble is in getting the civilians to cooperate. The American soldier has the spirit as long as he knows he is being backed up. But when he is let down he loses a lot of his morales and will not do his best. Encourage more people to write to the soldier. A word from friends & loved ones means a lot to us fellows

There is a certain conflict between the Army and the Coloried people. The Army is always making working units out of them. What I mean is: They send Negro troops ahead and clear the way. Then the White troops move up, and take the credit. That is very much unfair. They should also have Negro Officers to led the Negro Units.

Would the Army have Negro Officers leading White Units?

On the subject of camp locations, I cannot understand why they put Negroes in Southern camps, it only stirs the ??? hatred surely previsions can be made so that they may be kept in the North.

Furloughs, why don't they loosen up on them? Why aren't Negroes allowed into various branches with equal opportunity it seems time a country cannot be at it's full fighting strength as long as this prejudice is carried on. What difference does it make whether a man's skin is white or black, - a man is a man. Let's have Double v?? for our country, one for the end of racial discriminations. Why must soldiers pay full toll to call home? We get reductions on everything else why not that? Being away from hom is bad enough but not even to be able to talk to our folks what do you think we are Germans? Men without feelings? Their is too much of a barrier] officers noncoms enlisted men] like the cast system in India, true they shouldn't become to families, but I for one would much rather follow a man into battle who treated me as a man, not an inferior being, after all in civilian life I could be a better than he is.

I think that the Army should take over the defence plants and stop strikes they are getting well paid and they still strike for more pay they dont stop to think about what a man in the army is doing we can not win a war if we dont have the war machines and as long as they strike we wont have them so. why isn't something done about it.

qest - 41 - This war will last as long as our large company heads make it impossible for war materials being made the way they should, and if they would quit worrying about by profits and paying low wages to there employees this war then shall be ended much more quickly. The greed of money is always a major factor in any war.

I was head of art department for one of the largest concerns of its' type in the country for more than 18 months even though I was only 19 years old. I know I could do much better and be of greater service to my country making posters or drawing maps than doing what I'm doing now. I tried to enlist for this type of work four times but was turned down because they said I had a bad heart. When I was being inducted they said I was alright. I feel that if I'm not good enough to enlist for what I can do best am not good enough to come to the army at all, and even though I did have to come they should have given me the type of work I do best. In so far as medical attention is concerned, you have to be almost dead before you can see a doctor. The only good meal we have is at noon. It's good food and very well prepared but the other meals are lousy. As a rule the non coms are swell fellows but we have a great many acting non coms who make things bad for the whole troop. i don't see why all the men of a troop should be punished just because one man does wrong or is often practiced by the officers of this troop. Why is it that one must go through so much "red tape" just to get an allotments? It has been more than a month since I've made out a form for the allotment and I still haven't heard anything about whether I'll get it or not.

Having had to leave my ranch I still believe I could do more good there now than being in the Army.

When a man says he has an ailment and wants an Ex Ray, he should be given it. It would help him also Army. So many times a man looks O. K. but is not and is called a gold brick.

An Automobile might look like million outside but mechanism completely gone.

I personally think that working seven days a week on this past foolhardy as shown by labor and management who wherever possible adhere to six days a week. Monotony has a power of slowing down production and everyone needs time for recreation and change of atmosphere. I want to win this war and end hostilities just as soon as anyone else but I do not deem such lengthy working schedule in the confines of the U.S. necessary. England has found a higher rate of production and efficiency prevailed on a six week schedule even while under attack. Let's have time to bolster morale and I sure we will do as much if not more in six days while at the same time do it with a much better spirit.

I had much rather go home to my wife and three small children and farm where, I am shure I could do 100% more to help win this war than I can in the army - We have a large dairy farm and could increase it by more than twice the amount now and unless I am released at once the farm will be up for sale & dairy as my wife can no longer keep it going.

This is the only reason for my not liking the army as I am shure worth more on the farm with my family I thank you.

In stating my opinion on questions applying to my squadron, I did so as nearly as I could but it should be known that the squadron which I am in is mostly made up of soldiers who are classified for limited duty because of physical defects or other reasons. Therefore it should be expected that this particular squadron does not function as well as others.

In stating my opion about war workers, factories, I was a war worker before entering the Army in one of the best aircraft factories, and firmly believe my opinion fairly well covers that.

I am greatly disappointed in the air corps. I had been in the infantry & look up to the air corps because I thought it offered great opportunity. Instead of placing me in a job I would like to do they put me doing clerical work and although I have advanced from pvt. to S/Sgt in the past four months I still am not pleased. I never did clerical work before - never even studied it in school. I was always mechanically inclined and tried to get to go to an A.M. school - but you know the army.

Anyway I work hard and try to learn as much more as I can.

The Army does not give a soldier a chance to show what he can do in his field of work. For example: I know a fellow who has been a Dental Mechanic for five years before entering the Army. When he enlisted they said they would put him in a laboratory because they need such men. When he did enlist they put him in the Infantry, and now he doesn't show any feelings for this Army, and furthermore, because he is of Jewish faith, he cant seem to get ahead. Do you think that it's fair?

I think it would be a very good idea, if the Army needs leaders as they say, to encourage more of the inducted men who have a H. Q. S. high enough to go to officers Canidate school and to give them a chance to do what they are capable of doing. I think that there are too many privates and privates first class that are held back just because they do a good job of a particular job he now has in his outfit. I have known cases where high ranking officers have actually accused an applicant for O.C.S. of being yellow and trying to get out of fighting in combat because he put in the O.C.S. in The Signal Corps. Personally I think that is a bit unfair.

Personally I don't approve of Negro soldiers being lynched killed and beaten in the South. I think that we northern negroes should be kept in northern camps (with the exception of the Air Corps) and southern negroes in southern caps for obvious reasons. This opinion will 9 times out of ten be disregarded. So far as fr as the army goes, I'm one negro who likes it.

Furloughs - Many of them are given out in other squadrons & every one seems to be getting them. Many of the men in our squadron have been in the army for between 1-3 years & never had a furlough. More concentration should be made in this subject instead of promises. Fellows should be allowed to go home to spend at least 3 or 4 days before going overseas. Especially when they have been in the U.S. proper for as long as this outfit.

At the present we are taking training in mechanized cavalry, they give us a day or even a few hours and want us to rest the most we can. Then this troop always has something for us to do. The trouble is I think that the officers & non coms hate to see a man rest even for a few minutes. Usually what the troop has us do something with no reason at all. I wish the troop officers & non coms would consider that our training is not just riding around all day.

When we came into this troop the food was excellant, now its not fit to feed to a hog.

If a man can prove his ability in a certain line of work, why can't the Army know it, and put him doing same? That is if there is such aline in the Army. I realize a great attempt has already been made to do this, but even this, I feel is'nt [isn't] sufficient.

This would not only be of benifet [benefit] to the man, but to the Army to [too] . Yes, I think there is still much more room for improvement there. More so for men who are already in the Armed Forces.