Black History Month: Webster Anderson

Webster Anderson was born July 15^th, 1933 in Winnsboro, SC and joined joined the Army in 1953. He sreved in Korea during that war and was later deployed to Vietnam during that conflict as well. On October 15, 1967 was serving as a Staff Sergeant with Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Infantry Division (Airmobile). On that day, Anderson's artillery unit was attacked by North Vietnamese forces near Tam Kỳ in the Republic of Vietnam.

Anderson directed the defense of the unit's position and continued to lead after twice being severely wounded. There were 46 men on a narrow hilltop in the middle of the jungle. When it was over, there were 12 left. The position was later dubbed "Sad Hill". The pilot of the medical evacuation helicopter (Dustoff) that flew him out to the hospital was Patrick Brady, who would later earn the Medal of Honor for heroic actions in evacuating other wounded in a different action. Despite losing both of his legs and part of an arm, he survived his wounds and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant First Class before being retired and awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.

After being sent home and spending a year in the hospital, he still never quit. Upon leaving the service he moved back to his home in Winnsboro where he led an active life with his family. He expressed no bitterness about the high personal price he paid for his service to the nation. He donned his artificial limbs and opened a TV Repair business, putting three kids through college. Webster Anderson died at age 70 on August 30, 2003 of colon cancer and was buried in Blackjack Baptist Church Cemetery in his hometown.

Webster Anderson’s Medal of Honor Citation reads as follows:

SFC Anderson (then S/SGT.), distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as chief of section in Battery A, against a hostile force. During the early morning hours Battery A's defensive position was attacked by a determined North Vietnamese Army infantry unit supported by heavy mortar, recoilless rifle, rocket propelled grenade and automatic weapon fire. The initial enemy onslaught breached the battery defensive perimeter. SFC. Anderson, with complete disregard for his personal safety, mounted the exposed parapet of his howitzer position and became the mainstay of the defense of the battery position. SFC Anderson directed devastating direct howitzer fire on the assaulting enemy while providing rifle and grenade defensive fire against enemy soldiers attempting to overrun his gun section position. While protecting his crew and directing their fire against the enemy from his exposed position, 2 enemy grenades exploded at his feet knocking him down and severely wounding him in the legs. Despite the excruciating pain and though not able to stand, SFC Anderson valorously propped himself on the parapet and continued to direct howitzer fire upon the closing enemy and to encourage his men to fight on. Seeing an enemy grenade land within the gun pit near a wounded member of his gun crew, SFC Anderson heedless of his own safety, seized the grenade and attempted to throw it over the parapet to save his men. As the grenade was thrown from the position it exploded and SFC Anderson was again grievously wounded. Although only partially conscious and severely wounded, SFC Anderson refused medical evacuation and continued to encourage his men in the defense of the position. SFC Anderson by his inspirational leadership, professionalism, devotion to duty and complete disregard for his welfare was able to maintain the defense of his section position and to defeat a determined attack. SFC Anderson's gallantry and extraordinary heroism at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

Black History Month: Charles L. Thomas

Major Charles L. Thomas (April 17, 1920-February 15, 1980) was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions while a company commander during the capture of Climbach, France in 1944 — the second black soldier to be awarded one during World War II. This award was upgraded to the Medal of Honor and awarded posthumously in 1997.

Charles Leroy Thomas was born on 17 April 1920, in Birmingham, Alabama. His family moved to Detroit at a time when the city's black population was rapidly growing. As a child, Thomas showed a bookish interest in airplanes and electronics. After graduating from Cass Technical High School in 1938, he worked with his father at the Ford River Rouge factory as a molder making steel. He also enrolled at Wayne State University to study mechanical engineering but the war interfered. Thomas was drafted and entered the army on January 20, 1942.

He started as an infantryman, but when the army began forming tank destroyer units, Charles Thomas was transferred to Camp Wolters in Texas, for officer training school. While the soldiers were black, most of the officers were white. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in March 1943 and reported to Camp Hood in Texas, to join the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion, which was deploying with it to England and then to North-Western Europe

In August 1944 the unit was shipped to Metz, France, to join General George Patton's Third Army. Lieutenant Thomas was pleased when General Patton said that he didn't care if they were black or white, he just wanted fighting men.

In December, the 614th reached the Alsace-Lorraine region near the German border. Its mission was to capture the German-occupied town of Climbach five miles from the French- German border. The only direct route to Climbach was up a hill along an open road surrounded by woods. An advancing unit would have to distract German guns by traveling up the exposed hill while the foot soldiers would sneak up through the woods, around the German fire and into the town. This approach left the American troops easy targets for German snipers.

Second Lieutenant Thomas volunteered to lead his company up the hill. "Why did I volunteer?" he recalled."I can't honestly answer that... perhaps somewhere in the back of my mind was the fact that we had the only guns that could match the firepower of the Mark VI tanks."

On the foggy morning of December 14, Thomas led a 250-man platoon from the 756th Tank Battalion and a reinforced company of the 411th Infantry Regiment, 103rd Infantry Division, up to the road in an armored scout car. As soon as the unit had advanced, the Germans fired a lethal combination of tank and artillery fire. One blast shattered the scout car's window, spraying Thomas with glass and metal pieces. The next German round blew the tires off the car. Although badly injured, Lieutenant Thomas scrambled onto the top of the vehicle, grabbed a .50 caliber machine gun and returned fire.

Suffering wounds in the chest, stomach, arms and legs, Lieutenant Thomas crawled under the overturned car and directed the placement of his men. His men tried to evacuate him but Thomas refused until he was sure that they were well-positioned and returning fire. "This was hardly the place to... I knew what had to be done," Thomas recalled. "They say men under stress can do unusual... I know I hung onto one thought, deploy the guns and start firing or we're dead."

He briefed one of his platoon leaders, a junior lieutenant, on the general situation, and only when he was sure the situation was under control did he allow himself to be evacuated. The platoon continued to fight for four hours, losing two of its four guns and half its men as casualties There were 3 dead, and 17 wounded. Colonel John Blackshear, a white commander, said the actions of the 614th were "the most magnificent display of mass heroism I have ever witnessed."

The strong performance of the platoon ensured the capture of the town and forced the defenders to withdraw to the Siegfried Line; the unit was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (the first black combat unit, and the first unit attached to the 103rd Division, to be so honored) and its men received four Silver Stars and nine Bronze Stars.

Thomas receiving his Distinguished Service Cross.

Lieutenant Thomas refused to take credit for his heroics, believing his soldiers deserved the accolades. "I know I was sent out to locate and draw the enemy fire, but I didn't mean to draw that much.". One week after the battle, Colonel Blackshear recommended Lieutenant Thomas for the Distinguished Service Cross. The award was announced in January 1945 and Thomas was promoted to captain. The men of the 614^th in total received 8 Silver Stars, 28 Bronze Stars and 79 Purple Hearts.

Thomas remained in the Army, and retired with the rank of Major. He died of cancer in Detroit, Michigan, on Feb. 15, 1980 at the age of 59. He has been laid to rest at Westlawn Cemetery, Wayne, Michigan In the 1990s, following a study which indicated severe racial discrimination in the process of awarding medals during the war, it was recommended that seven Distinguished Service Crosses be upgraded to Medals of Honor, and Thomas was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously on January 13, 1997.

Thomas' Medal of Honor Citation reads as follows:

For extraordinary heroism in action on December 14, 1944, near Climbach, France. While riding in the lead vehicle of a task force organized to storm and capture the village of Climbach, France, then First Lieutenant Thomas's armored scout car was subjected to intense enemy artillery, self-propelled gun, and small arms fire. Although wounded by the initial burst of hostile fire, Lieutenant Thomas signalled the remainder of the column to halt and, despite the severity of his wounds, assisted the crew of the wrecked car in dismounting. Upon leaving the scant protection which the vehicle afforded, Lieutenant Thomas was again subjected to a hail of enemy fire which inflicted multiple gunshot wounds in his chest, legs, and left arm. Despite the intense pain caused by these wounds, Lieutenant Thomas ordered and directed the dispersion and emplacement of two antitank guns which in a few moments were promptly and effectively returning the enemy fire. Realizing that he could no longer remain in command of the platoon, he signalled to the platoon commander to join him. Lieutenant Thomas then thoroughly oriented him on enemy gun dispositions and the general situation. Only after he was certain that his junior officer was in full control of the situation did he permit himself to be evacuated. First Lieutenant Thomas' outstanding heroism were an inspiration to his men and exemplify the highest traditions of the Armed Forces.

(L-R) Lt. Col. Frank Pritchard confering with tank destroyer unit commanders James Carr, Beauregard King, Robert Finley & Charles Thomas somewhere in England.

So...Kathleen Parker left CNN?

I guess Spitzer will need a new co-host now, and since CNN's ratings are abysmal, no stone should be left unturned.....therefore, I bring you....SPITZER SHEEN!!!! Two trainwrecks on one great show!

Black History Month: Ron McNair

Ronald Ervin McNair, was born October 21, 1950, in Lake City, South Carolina. McNair graduated as valedictorian of Carver High School in 1967. During his summers, McNair worked in the local cotton and tobacco fields.

In 1971 he received a bachelor's degree in engineering physics, magna cum laude, from North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina In 1976, he received his Ph.D. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under guidance of Professor Michael Feld, becoming nationally recognized for his work in the field of laser physics. He received three honorary doctorates, a score of fellowships and commendations and achieved a 5^th degree black belt in karate. After graduation from MIT, he became a staff physicist at the Hughes Research Lab in Malibu, California.

In 1978 McNair was selected as one of thirty-five applicants from a pool of ten thousand for the NASA astronaut program. He flew on STS-41-B aboard Challenger in February 1984, as a mission specialist becoming the second African American to fly in space. Following this mission, he was selected for STS-51-L, which launched on January 28, 1986, McNair was thus one of the seven-person crew who died on the Challenger space shuttle when it disintegrated nine miles above the Atlantic Ocean just 73 seconds after take-off.^[

McNair was an accomplished saxophonist. Before his fateful last space shuttle mission he had worked with composer Jean Michel Jarre on a piece of music for Jarre's then-upcoming album Rendez-Vous. It was intended that he would record his saxophone solo on board the Challenger, which would have made McNair's solo the first original piece of music to have been recorded in space. The last of the Rendez-Vous pieces, (Last Rendez-Vous) had the additional name "Ron's Piece". Ron McNair was supposed to take part in the concert through a live feed, but that never happened.

Ron was survived by his wife Ceryl and 2 children.

Black History Month: Quincy J. Green

I chose to memorialize this young man to represent the new generation of young black soldiers; to show that "history" doesn't always mean decades ago; to show that today's generation of young people still share the values of courage, honor, sacrifice, and service; and finally to show that not everyone who is lost in combat is from the traditional combat arms branches of the military. Twenty-six year old Quincy Jermel Green, the son of a Navy veteran, was a chaplain's assistant assigned to the 601st Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas, my own final duty station before I left active duty. He was killed on June 2d, 2008 in Tikrit, Iraq, leaving behind his wife Lori and daughters Alanah and Kaitlyn.

The following was written by Steve Patterson for jacksonville.com :

A uniformed honor guard stood ramrod-straight in a church hallway. Outside, bikers carrying American flags formed a line.

In the church sanctuary, people wept, laughed and told stories from Quincy J. Green's short life.

Lifelong friends and strangers came together at a Northside Jacksonville church Friday evening to honor the 26-year-old soldier from Orange Park who died this month in Tikrit, in northern Iraq.

"God bless. I love you, Quincy," said Corey Johnson, a Putnam County sheriff's deputy who gulped back sobs after stepping to a microphone to talk about his high school friend. He recounted the kid he met in Orange Park High, the one who'd stay up late prepping for Navy Junior ROTC events and making a buck shining boots better than his classmates could.

"We were always chasing after him, but he'd slow down to help a friend," said Matt Hunt, a Marine Corps sergeant and another friend since ROTC.

He said Green, who was married with two daughters, anguished about leaving his family when he re-enlisted in the Army and was deployed to Iraq, where he was a chaplain's assistant.

"He knew the soldiers going to Iraq were going to need him," Hunt said. "That was the last act of Quincy, leaving a positive effect."

The service at The Church Fellowship Worship Ministries on Lem Turner Road drew a varied and colorful audience: some in uniforms, others in the red shirts and black vests of the Buffalo Soldiers motorcycle club.

About 30 other bikers, members of the Patriot Guard Riders, waited outside the church, carrying flags as they do at many events honoring members of the armed forces.

Inside the church, Bishop Bruce V. Allen said it was clear from people's memories that, while Green had become focused on his military service, he was still at heart the same person he had always been.

"It's good to know that the military didn't change his basic personality," Allen said. "He was a jokester, a little weird at times," and much loved, the bishop said.

Bishop Vaughn McLaughlin of Potter's House Christian Fellowship on Jacksonville's Westside described the adolescent Green he had known years ago, then the e-mail he received a few months back.

The man Green had grown into described being married and a father and asked the bishop for a favor: He hoped somehow McLaughlin could send large-print Bibles to him in Iraq, because the soldiers there needed to be able to read the Gospel in the dark.

"How many of those soldiers got their hands on those Bibles? ... How many of them found God?" McLaughlin asked. "He's left a deposit, he's left a mark on all our lives."

Black History Month: Cornelius Charlton

Cornelius “Connie” Charlton was born in West Virginia to Van and Clara (née Thompson) Charlton. In 1944, the family moved from West Virginia to the Bronx. Cornelius attended James Monroe High School there and, after graduating, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1946.

Charlton served with the U.S. troops occupying Germany in the aftermath of World War II before being sent to Korea. Initially assigned to an engineering group, Charlton requested transfer to an infantry unit and was subsequently placed in Company C of the 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. The U.S. Army was still in the midst of desegregation, and the 24th Infantry was the last all-black regiment in operation.

In May, 1951, Charlton's unit pushed northwards with the Eighth Army. On June 2, near the village of Chipo-ri northeast of Seoul, his platoon encountered heavy resistance while attempting to take Hill 543. Taking command after his platoon leader was wounded, Charlton regrouped his men and led an assault against the hill. Wounded by a grenade, he refused medical attention and continued to lead the charge. He single-handedly attacked and disabled the last remaining enemy gun emplacement, suffering another grenade wound in the process. Sergeant Charlton succumbed to his wounds that day, dying at the age of 21. For his actions during the battle, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Charlton's body was returned to the United States and buried in his mother's family burial place, Pocahontas Cemetery in Pocahontas, Virginia. The cemetery eventually fell into disrepair, and Charlton was re-interred in the American Legion Cemetery in Beckley, West Virginia. On November 12, 2008, with representatives from the Charlton, Adams and Hughes families in attendance, the last living members of the Buffalo Soldiers and two living Medal of Honor recipients Cornelius H. Charlton was re-interred at Arlington National Cemetery in Section 40, Grave 300.

Connie Charlton’s Medal of Honor Citation reads as follows:

Sgt. Charlton, a member of Company C, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. His platoon was attacking heavily defended hostile positions on commanding ground when the leader was wounded and evacuated. Sgt. Charlton assumed command, rallied the men, and spearheaded the assault against the hill. Personally eliminating 2 hostile positions and killing 6 of the enemy with his rifle fire and grenades, he continued up the slope until the unit suffered heavy casualties and became pinned down. Regrouping the men he led them forward only to be again hurled back by a shower of grenades. Despite a severe chest wound, Sgt. Charlton refused medical attention and led a third daring charge which carried to the crest of the ridge. Observing that the remaining emplacement which had retarded the advance was situated on the reverse slope, he charged it alone, was again hit by a grenade but raked the position with a devastating fire which eliminated it and routed the defenders. The wounds received during his daring exploits resulted in his death but his indomitable courage, superb leadership, and gallant self-sacrifice reflect the highest credit upon himself the infantry, and the military service

In 2000 the Navy commissioned the USNS Charlton, a Large, Medium Speed Roll On/Roll Off cargo vessel.