Newspapers / The Carolina Times (Durham, … / Aug. 9, 1969, edition 1 / Page 11
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Saturday, August 9,1969 Six Page* - Second Sectioa YOUR PICTURE-NEWS WEEKLY mk Jm I M f|lp JH 1 I I | jM ■ BLACK OFFICERS can be found in all types of duty and The United States Navy... Telling It Like It Is The Navy is carrying out a broad, systematic and painstak ing program to provide equal opportunites for Negroes and members of other racial minor ities, as well as to eliminate •II vestiges of discrimination from Navy life. The Black man is an active participant in all facets of the Navy as he is holding positions in the enlisted and officer cate gories, and in every job from aerology to zoology, with many related specialties in between. A large portion of the Black Community continues to regard the Navy as the service in which a chance for advance ment is minimal. This distorted image is slowly changing as minority group members are made aware of "the way it really is," full of opportunity, not "likely it really was." Equal opportunities in the Navy are available, especially at the officer level. In fact, op portunities at the officer ranks in the Navy for minority group members are being vigorously publicized as attested to by the Navy's 'MORE' program. 'MORE' stands for Minority Of ficer Recruiting Effort, and it is conscientiously administered by the Navy to dissiminate in formation to minority commu nities as to actively recruit qualified Negro, and other per sons with a minority group background. In addition to the recruiting of qualified minority group members, all aspects of equal opportunity are receiving dose and immediate attention from officials at every level of the U. S. Navy including the Chief of Naval Personnel and the Secretary of the Navy. Of the more than 84.000 offi cers currently on active duty in the U. S. Navy, only about four-tenths of one percent are black. Why are there so few black officers in the Navy? Perhaps it's because of an acute lack of identity on the part of the Negro with the Navy. And understandably so. The Navy, more so than other services, is strongly oriented toward's tra dition. And traditionally the Navy ignored and excluded Ne groes as men who could ef fectively take command of a ship and direct the activities of the men under their charge, as policy and decision makers, as officers. Prior to the end of World War TT, when the de cision was made to fully inte grate the military services, a Negro in the Navy could only serve in an enlisted rating as a steward, messman or other noncombatant ratings. After Pmsident Harry S. Truman's orders to integrate the services, it was both accented and car ried out by the Navv, on both enlisted and officer levels The Navy is aware of its past rec ord of unequal opportunity and segregation. What was done in the past con not be denied or undone, and attitudes among many remain the same even though the tradition was brok en. The connotation of the Navy as being a "Southern Gentleman's Countrv Club" still exists in the minds of many blacks who are well qualified for a commission in the Naval Service. This conception of the Navy, however, is continuing to change rapidly as the Negro is made aware that equal oppor tunity and integration in the . in all ranks from warrant of- I ficer to captain (the equiva Naval Service are not myths but fact and practice. The suc cess of racial integration can be seen at every Navy installa tion and ship througHout the fleet. For instance, clubs for officers, petty officers, and en listed men are fully integrated. Base housing and recreational opportunities are available to all, without regard to race. Black and white children at tend schools together. Promo tion and training opportunities are available without regard to color. In fact, the entire mili tary establishment is the most highly integrated environment in America today and has been cited by newspapers, maga zines and the Black community for its justice, progressive at tributes and equal opportuni ties. Today, the Black Naval Of ficer, even though his number is small, far too small, is not only saying it loud, but is do ing his thing. He is making de cisions, leading men, determ ining policy, and commanding shirs. Negro officers can be found wearing rank insignias rangng from Warrant Offcer to Captain (the equivalent of full Colonel) and are serving on ships and shore activities as division office's, department heads and as commanding of ficers. Career opportunities for Black officers in the Navy can now honestly be described as "wide open." One example is Captain Samuel L. Gravely, Jr., the first Negro to command a ship of the line atid the first black line officer promoted to the rank of Captain. Prior to his promo tion, he commanded the USS TAUSSIG (DD-746) in action off Viet Nam. Presently, two other Negro officers com mand destroyers: Commander G. E. Thomas of the USS BAU SELL (DD-845) and Command er H. B. Dowse of the USS UHLMAN (DD-687). Four black officers now serve on the staff of the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Mary land. While 11% of all Navy officers on active duty have attended postgraduate school for a Master's or higher de gree, the figure for Negro of ficers is more than 14%. Eleven Negro pilots in the Navy have flown combat mis sions in Viet Nam and have won in excess of 40 air medals and 6 Navy Commendation Medals. The Navy has two other black officers who have attain ed the rank of Captain: One is Chaplain Thomas D. Parham, who is assistant for plans for the Navy's Chief of Chaplains and Assistant for Human Rela tions to the Chief of Navai Per sonnel; the other is Doctor Paul Stewart Green, M.D., a Naval medical officer. A young black man, is a recent college graduate or a senior at a college or univer sity might recognize that an opportunity for him to become a Naval Officer does exist but asks the question, "So what if I can qualify for a commission in the Navy, why would I want to become an officer in the Navy." The men who join or enlist in the service, regardless of their color or the branch of service they choose, do so for a variety of reasons. And the primary motivating factor to day does not seem to be for reasons of patriotism, love of . lent of full colonel (in today's I navy. applie pie, baseball or flag, even though they might be good reasons, but rather be cause of the impetus of the Draft. And the Draft is real, very real, no matter how one may feel about its injustices, et al. Currently, there are very few deferments being given for graduate school (medical school being the exception) or for oc cupations. This limits the alter natives available for a healthy male who is a recent graduate, or is about to graduate, in the scheduling of his future plans. He might find a job or profes sion and work until he is drafted. He might feel so strong in his convictions that a particular war on wars in general are unjust and immoral and might seek refuge in a foreign country, or face pros ecution and a possible prisorr term. He may, instead, choose one of the more favorable al ternatives and join one of the armed services as an enlisted man or officer. If h« will be a college graduate at the time, and chooses to go in the serv ice as an enlisted man, he stands a very good chance of not being able to utilize his educational experience and abilities attributed to his hav ing earned a degree. Now the question of why seek a Naval commission seems to have more meaning, espe cially if the man is a member of the minority group. An of ficer in the Navy has a three year active duty service obli gation after finishing 18 weeks of Officer Candidate School (OCS). And during those three years he can expect to share more responsibility and have more leadershp experience than almost any junior execu tive in industry. He wfl be in a position where he makes de cisions concerning the safety and welfare of a multi-million dollar ship and possibly thous ands of men. He might be a a Division Officer of from ten to sixty men whereby he would not only direct their work acti vities, but would counsel them in matters of finance, legal and family problems. Because of the high degree of sophistication of modern modern ships, weapons, com puters and other machinery used by the Navy, he would constantly be trained and edu cated. In addition to the above mentioned advantages, there are the benefits of travel, ad venture, social activities, medi cal and dental care, and per haps, more importanly, pride and accomplishment in what one is doing, and respect. After the black man com pletes his obligated service and returns to the community, he does so no longer as a poten tial leader, but as a proven leader of men. Good Old Oxen Days BERWICK, iPa. Edward De Lay, still active as a farmer at the age of 96, picks oxen over horses and tractois as a source of power in farming. "I've fanned with them all and oxen are hard to beat," De Lay said at his 75-acre farm near here. DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA Black Profile Of Courage B r LOU LUTOUR CLYDE WILLIAMS. interna tionally acclaimed singer and actor believes "where there is a will, there is a way" as long as one is prepared and has the courage to do and to dare for his highest good as well as for the highest good of others. This has been his belief since a child and became a more vital realization when he became the first Black male to enter and graduate from the College-Con servatory of Music in Cincin nati, Ohio. It surely took de termination and courage for him, a Black Ghetto boy, to en roll in a school that cost SI,OOO a year, with only $20.00 of his own in his pocket; and only vague means and promises of more. His being informed that unless he produced a certain amount of money within the CLYDE WILLIAMS next two days, he would be refused admission. When CLYDE returned home depressed and frustrated, his mother as always encouraged him and gave him hope when she remarked, "Clyde, I know that some way you will go to school. I don't have the money and I don't see the way now. But remember, "Where There Is A Will, There is a Way.'' This expression he had heard in Church over and over again; but it took on a real meaning for him that day. After listen ing to his mother, the name of a certain elderly widow flashed in his mind. "Following my in tuitive mind," said Clyde, 'T picked up the telephone and called her; and mustered up courage to tell her about my plight." She immediately in formed him that she would lend him the money needed to meet the deadline. The incident presented in the foregoing paragraph, marked the beginning of a new day for Clyde Williams as he was giv en money from many sources and even from people who be came interested in his educa tion. He also received thous ands of dollars in Scholarships during his vear3 of study; and graduated with honors. After graduation, he taught and en couraged thousands of young people, mostly those who were talented in the field of music— since that was my area of spe cialization. Later, he studied acting and dancing. Highway Use Tax Due Warns IRS Director GREENSBORO Owners of Urge trucks, truck-trailers, or buses may be required to file a Federal highway use tax return, Form 2290, this month J. E. Wall, District Director of Internal Revenue for North Carolina, said today. A newly revised schedule of taxable gross weights, effective July 1, contains 21 weight ca tegories for single unit or straight trucks, tractor-trailers and truck-trailer combinations. The new schedule recogniz es that larger trucks are using the highways, and also that some trucks are of studier construction and are carrying heavier loads. No change was made in the fee schedule for buaet operating on public high ways. VSC ROTC INSTRUCTOR GETS MEDAL—Major Bruce L. Gill (second from left) assistant professor of military science at Virginia State College, re ceives an army commendation "Telling it Like It Is" on NBC TV 'Guideline' NEW YORK—A series of four conversation programs illus trating the Catholic Church's interest in social involvement will be presented beginning Sunday, August 10 (1:30-2:00 p.m. NYT, in color) on NBC Television Network's "Guide line." Subtitled "Telling It Like It Is, and How It Ought to Be," the Beries will begin with a con versation between Frank Rob inson of the Baltimore Orioles and Joe Garagiola, NBC-TV and Radio personality and for mer baseball player and sports announce. Frank Robinson, who was voted the Most Valuable Play er in the National League in 1961 and the Most Valuable Player in the American League in 1966, will discuss what life is like as a black baseball play er. He will also talk about the fact that he would like to be a big league manager, a posi tion which no black man has yet achieved. He spent a season managing a team in Puerto Rico and he would like "the opportunity to feel some day in the near future that some owner or organization will give me a chance to manage in the major leagues." Mr. Robinson ends on a hope ful note: "I think things are changing. People are accepted now, no matter what color they are. They go places together. They do things together. And they don't look at each other as color. It's individual and that's the beautiful thing about it ... it doesn't matter what color you are." The regular period for the highway use tax runs from July 1 through June 30 of the following year. Owners of trucks in use on public high ways during July, have to file a return by September 2 this year. Subsequent returns may be required concerning vehicles used for the first time on pub lic highways after July. IRS Publication 349 "Fede- % " - ■ D ! FirffyMßßPhiii ni'-TTn'ii f _ - NEW EDUCATION BUILDING AT VSC—Work is progressing on the new School of Educa tion building at Virginia State College, a $2.2-million struc medal from Lt. Col. Ira Snell, Jr., departing head of the mili tary science department at VSC. Maj. Gill received the medal for his "professional competence, mature judgement, w '"fr* TFI * ifiL * 1 t Si I 1 FIRST WHITE CADET COM MISSIONED AT AAT —Bryant Jackson (center) of Springfield, Tenn. last week became the Jesse Hill, Jr. is Named President of NIA for '69 CHICAGO James Farmer, assistant secretary for adminis tration, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, exhort ed black life insurance execu tives of the National Insurance ral Use Tax on Trucks, Truck- Tractors and Buses," furnishes detailed information on this subject and may be obtained by dropping a post card to your District Director, Internal Revenue Service, 320 South Ashe Street, Greensboro 27401. Shoe Tips Help Land a Job BURLINGTON, Vt. "Putting your best foot forward" means wearing the right shoes when applying for a job. Clothing specialists in the Extension Service of the University of Vermont say that potential employers can tell a lot about a prospective employe by the cut of his or her shoes. The specialists offer these tips to job hunters: ture set for completion and occupancy sometime during the fall semester. The building will house the VSC audio-visual, the secondary and elementary edu Local, State and National Newt of Sports World extensive personal effort and outstanding leadership abilty" in working with senior ROTC cadets. Assisting in the cere mony are (from left) Mrs. Gill; first white cadet to be com missioned in the Army ROTC program at A&T State Univer sity. Pinning bars are Lt. Col. Association meeting in Miami Beach for their 49th annual convention to take the future into their own hands and send men to Washington to lobby for special legislation and finan cial awards to assure their con tinued role as leaders of black business. Speaking to an overflow audience at the Hilton Plaza Hotel Wednesday, July 23, where he was principal speaker at the association's President's Banquet, Farmer recognized the contribution made to pro gress by this segment of black industry and said, "We must help those older and proven in dustries to survive and meet the competition." Jesse Hill, Jr., actuary, At lanta Life Insurance Co., was elected president at the clos ing session to succeed Wardell C. Croft, president of Wright Mutual Insurance Co. of De troit. Croft now becomes chair man of the board. In addition to his insurance position, Hill is publisher of the Atlanta Inquirer and a member of the National Board cation .and fine arts depart ments, plus a reading center. Also included in the structure are classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices and a small au- PRICE: 20c Dr Richard H. Dunn, director* of the VSC school of arts antf sciences; and Calvin M. Miller, associate professor of political science. William Graves, professor of military science and Mrs. Doro thy G. Jones, ROTC stenogra pher. > HILL of Directors of the Southern Christian Leadership Confer ence. L. R. Taylor, vice president actuary of Mammoth Life In surance Co. of Louisville, was elected first vice president. Traditionally, the first vice president succeeds the presi dent la oflltt. Approximately 5,000 Ann\ National Guardsmen from 17 state* are serving in Vietnam. ditorium. A grant of $486,000 from HEW is assisting in meet ing the cost of the facility. I.VSC Photo by Blackwell)
The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
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Aug. 9, 1969, edition 1
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