Not posting in F16. We all know why.

Would like to hear your own stories about race and the armed forces. I was in Galveston on the first federal juneteenth, and enjoyed my trip to the Buffalo Soldiers Museum. Haven't learned much about Latino history though.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/felix-longoria-affair/

94chem said:

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Not posting in F16. We all know why.

Would like to hear your own stories about race and the armed forces. I was in Galveston on the first federal juneteenth, and enjoyed my trip to the Buffalo Soldiers Museum. Haven't learned much about Latino history though.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/felix-longoria-affair/

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Really good choice.

I spent 28 years in uniform and 10 as a a GS for the Dept of the AF. I never found more than 1% of the people who were concerned about race. Given when I was in, gender relations was different, but that faded with time in my experience as women proved themselves on their own merit and not victim politics.

I have served with azzholes and heroes from every race, gender, and religion. I think the angst is both political and overrated and it just gives the whiners and nere-do-wells an excuse and an unnecessary platform.

Thanks for your response. I would have expected folks who began their service post-Viet Nam would say similar things as you. I was thinking maybe people with dads from older times might have some perspectives. But I know, the Greatest Generation didn't talk a lot. And when guys like Ambrose were doing the Lord's work, there was mostly talk about camaraderie and battle history, not much sociopolitical stuff.

I don't think his movies have been that great, but Clint Eastwood did a good job in Flags of Our Fathers. I could barely follow his story line, though, and even his telling got upended several years later, iirc. Nonetheless, he drew attention to some important historical points.

My dad was born in '26, class of '48 at A&M, and served in the Army for ~20 years before retiring, getting his PhD, and then starting a career as a college history prof. As a kid, I had a friend who was black. Like most young kids, I didn't even think about his race or skin color. (Is noticing and discriminating on skin color a learned habit?) The family's last name was also Black. Later on as a teenager, I asked my dad about them, the family, and the dad who was an Army officer. My dad told me the African-American dad was an up and coming officer, highly regarded by both his peers and his superiors. Unfortunately, like many of our best, he was killed in Vietnam.

I've often thought that the US military was the most color-blind segment of our society. It's far from perfect, but closer to the ideal than most other segments.

On a different note, I was visiting Silver City, NM, a few years ago and wandered around old Ft. Bayard near there, including the old national cemetery attached to it. Buffalo Soldiers were stationed at Ft. Bayard for the Apache wars. Many of those old Buffalo Soldiers are buried at the cemetery, including either 2 or 3 Medal of Honor winners. I realize that the Medal of Honor was not what it is now back then. But, nevertheless, those soldiers were heroes. Colin Powell apparently traveled down there to help commemorate a statue to the Buffalo Soldiers, but otherwise they seem to be largely lost to history, which is a shame.

Ft. Bayard, by the way, was eventually transferred to the State of NM and was used as a hospital for TB patients for a while. It is now largely or entirely abandoned, although almost all of the structures were still standing when I visited it.

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He was a West Texas Panhandle boy from a "two street dirt town",

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Which one?

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Colin Powell apparently traveled down there to help commemorate a statue to the Buffalo Soldiers, but otherwise they seem to be largely lost to history, which is a shame.

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While the soldiers at that post may be lost to history, the Buffalo Soldiers are pretty well known, I think. There is a great statue and a whole park area dedicated to black soldiers, at Fort Leavenworth.




Apparently there's one at Fort Huachuca, too. Accidentally found it while googling the Leavenworth one

Childress

Thanks. It's a little bigger now

Yep...but just a little

Jabin said:

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On a different note, I was visiting Silver City, NM, a few years ago and wandered around old Ft. Bayard near there, including the old national cemetery attached to it. Buffalo Soldiers were stationed at Ft. Bayard for the Apache wars. Many of those old Buffalo Soldiers are buried at the cemetery, including either 2 or 3 Medal of Honor winners. I realize that the Medal of Honor was not what it is now back then. But, nevertheless, those soldiers were heroes. Colin Powell apparently traveled down there to help commemorate a statue to the Buffalo Soldiers, but otherwise they seem to be largely lost to history, which is a shame.

Ft. Bayard, by the way, was eventually transferred to the State of NM and was used as a hospital for TB patients for a while. It is now largely or entirely abandoned, although almost all of the structures were still standing when I visited it.

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Very similar to Fort Oglethorpe adjacent to the Chickamauga battlefield in Georgia. All the old officers quarters and there surround the huge parade field. Not a historical district though...

Anyone interested in old forts (besides all the great ones we have in Texas) should check out Fort El Reno in Oklahoma, or Fort Stanton in New Mexico. The latter was also a TB hospital for a while, I think