American Valor Quarterly Issue 5 - Winter 2008/09 | Page 27

was this particular action that convinced at least the key
personnel members of the 9th Regiment that it was what’s
inside and not the color of one’s skin that determined what
that person can or cannot do in combat.
I returned to duty a bit early because I had heard that General
MacArthur said that we would be home by Christmas, and
I wanted to be in that group. The Inchon invasion had been
successful for the United Nations’ forces; all the divisions
to include the 9th Infantry were on our way to the North
Korean border. This time, in my return I was assigned to
Company I, as the executive officer and first platoon leader.
November in Korea is cold. In 1950 it was very, very cold.
Our summer gear that we wore was worn in layers. Our
winter gear had been left at Ft. Lewis because we were not
going to be there that long. Remember we were going to
be home by Christmas. The reissue of winter gear was not
complete. As I was returning through the medical chain,
there were rumors about Chinese volunteers being in North
Korea, but at the grunt level that was just talk.

On August 2, 1972, Julius Becton was promoted to the rank of brigadier
general by acting Army Chief of Staff General Bruce Palmer. With the pinning
of his first star by General Palmer and his mother, Becton became only the
On Thursday, November 23, 1950, we had our
sixth black American to be promoted to the rank of general officer.
Thanksgiving Dinner, all the works that you have whenever

his total regiment. The division was getting ready for a major you are in the Army on Thanksgiving. It was all well intended by
push across the Naktong River going out of the Pusan Perimeter. the department of the Army, but where we were it wasn’t very
practical. The 8th Army Offensive began the very next day. The
The other separate units in this Task Force, an artillery battery, a forces were deployed so the 24th Infantry, part of the 25th Division
company with Sheridan tanks and a company of combat and the only regiment that had all black soldiers, were on the
engineers were returned to their parent units, as was the 3/9. It right flank of the division. My unit, the 3/9 of the 2nd Division
was almost that same time that the start of actual integration was on the division left flank, which meant in effect that all four
took place at least within the 9th Infantry Regiment. It was not as of the 8th Army black infantry battalions were on line abreast.
a result of compliance with the executive order; it was a battlefield
decision.
Early in the afternoon of that Friday, November 24, I was leading
the 1st platoon of my company reconnoitering some high ground
The regimental adjutant was faced with a personnel distribution when we drew small arms fire from a distance. When I reported
issue. What to do with the incoming replacements, specifically the this to the company commander, I met with a white battalion
number of infantry replacements did not equate to the needs of commander from the adjacent 24th Infantry Regiment, who was
the battalions by race. When the regimental commander, Colonel coordinating with his right flank unit. He basically ridiculed my
Sloan was briefed, we are told that his answer was priceless. “Put report, saying that there were no enemy forces in the area. None.
them where they are needed.” My platoon received one of the
first non-black soldiers, a Chicano. My advice to my platoon I was sent back up the hill to check it out farther. As we reached
sergeant: “Don’t let anything happen to that soldier. We will not the crest of the hill, we began to draw fire again. This time I was
be the first to screw this one up.” With that action, Company L, hit i