A Quora WWII logistics General Lee and Black troops

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Black History & Politics ·

Posted by
Cheryl Brown

Sun
Love this! A must-read because Nelson breaks it down and nails it. I
especially enjoy his takedown of “trolls “ and the “nitpicking-
think-they- know-it-all’s “ Bam 💥.

Profile photo for Nelson McKeeby
Nelson McKeeby
Worshiper at Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
(1966–present)Updated Nov 22
Were there many black soldiers in the American Army in WW2 since there
was racism against black in the US?

Meet Lt. Gen. John C.H. Lee. If You know General Lee, and you probably
do not, he was the guy who won the war in Western Europe. It was this
man who figured out how to supply a series of entire Army Groups
fighting their way into an occupied continent whose bases of supply were
overseas. Lee had one quirk at the time, he loved Black soldiers.

You see, he figured out that Black soldiers were harder workers than the
average white solider. They drove longer, had less accidents, took more
care in record keeping, and in general were superior than white soldiers
working in supply missions, despite having much lower Army readiness
ratings. When faced with shortages of supply troops in the build up to
the European campaign he gambled and accepted a huge number of Black
soldiers, and his gamble paid off. If Lee was winning the war, he was
winning it by using Black logistics troops.

In 1945 Eisenhower faced a problem. The AFC had underestimated the
number of tank and infantry replacements needed. Casualties were high,
and replacements hard to find. Worse, replacements they often could get
were “cooks and jeep drivers” and often not qualified for infantry tasks.

On hearing of the shortage Lee contacted Eisenhower. “I have 245,000
Black soldiers in the ETO, why not take volunteers from my rear area
supply units?”

This was accepted by Eisenhower who asked for as many Black soldiers as
he could get. The AFC training Center ETO could train about 2000 men
before there would be no more need, so they were trained and turned into
platoons, then added as platoons to divisions, especially those who were
still understrength from Bulge. Called the 5th Platoon program, the
soldiers worked so well that their actions, along with the 761st tank BN
and the 93rd Infantry division, led to post war desegregation.

(As a note - my own study of the subject says that the number 2000 was
less than what was used because many of the 53 platoons were crammed
with men - as many as 250 in the case of two platoons which were called
“companies” when they arrived in the 12th Armored Division. The real
number was more like 5000 men).

I cannot believe I have to patrol even this thread for asshats.

Just to outline a few deleted screeds. The comment that the Canadians
would all be offended to hear this man won the war in Western Europe is
nonsense, since he supplied them as well as all armies fighting on the
Western Front, as well as some of the air forces. Montgomery and Patton
argued over supplies because they both got them from this man.

No, there were not thousands of Russian regiments in Western Europe
needing supply so another idea presented that the word “won” cannot be
used by any allied soldier but Russia is obtuse and idiotic when limited
to Western Europe.

Dick measuring by ignorant people just makes you a dick. If someone was
to include in every article mention, as suggested, the efforts made by
Australians at Tobruk, such as saying, “The Pacific War was won at
Midway but of course without Tobruk could not have happened” is dumb in
the extreme.

I am not sure what Trump has to do with this post, why he would be
ashamed to read that Blacks were in WW2, or how the TV show Combat!
proves it was a white man’s fight, but in general take your sick
politics and leave this forum.

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49 comments from
Eric Bailey
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Eric Bailey
· Sun
Your synopsis of the black troop’s efficient Red Ball Express and
contribution to the war effort through the 5th platoon plan is accurate,
and your refutations of the various trolls and blowhards was fun to
read. Thanks

Howard Miller
· Mon
I was born in 1948 to a career Army person. Although the signs of
prejudice were all around me, I could see that the Army was working hard
to desegregate and integrate minorities into the ranks.

It was a lesson learned well in WWII, and the Army, and by extension,
all branches of the military, was working hard to institutionalize.