Military Officer - February 2008 - (Page 57) Signalman 2nd Class Julius Holmes, right, receives Signal lamp instruction during Mason crew training at the Norfolk Naval Training Station, Va., Jan. 3, 1944. guys on the beach, [they] had better look out because [they were] in for it.” “It wasn’t easy,” DuFau confirms. “Our job was to prove ourselves capable of doing the different jobs we had to do, and we couldn’t upset it by acting up or creating a scene. We overcame these things by being patient and, over time, we met different officers at different times who had an effect in turning things around.” The one place where the crew of the Mason experienced no problems was Belfast, Northern Ireland, the first foreign country they visited. The men were welcomed with open arms by citizens of a very grateful nation. “One of my fondest memories is how well we were treated in Belfast,” Garrison says. “We were accepted very warmly over there, and we felt the people were sincere in how they treated us. Coming from the United States, where a lot of things were restricted [by race], over there we experienced a complete openness.” “It was a dream place,” DuFau agrees. “I was in the first liberty party that went ashore. It was a little bit cloudy, and a lady came up to us and said, ‘Welcome to Belfast. I’m so sorry that you can’t see our land under the sunshine.’ Imagine someone apologizing because it’s cloudy! We were set back on our heels. It was such a wonderful experience.” Key to the success of the USS Mason’s wartime mission was its captain, Lt. Cmdr. William M. Blackford. Selected to command the ship before the decision to have a mostly black crew, Blackford demonstrated unwavering support for all his men and often came to their aid when the color of their skin denied them the respect to which they were entitled. FEBRUARY 2008 naval pilot shot down by Japanese aircraft in May 1942. It was launched Nov. 17, 1943, and commissioned March 20, 1944. Despite the low expectations of many, the crew of the Mason distinguished themselves repeatedly throughout their two years of wartime service. Destroyer escorts were heavily armed ships designed to protect convoys against enemy submarines and other hazards. It was a tough duty that often put the ships in harm’s way while they protected the larger craft they were escorting. The most revolutionary aspect of destroyer escorts was their use of recently developed tracking systems. One of the issues the Mason would answer was whether black sailors effectively could man such high-tech equipment. Lt. Cmdr. William M. Blackford and Mason crewmembers (left) attend commissioning ceremonies held during a snowstorm in Boston March 20, 1944. Eleanor Roosevelt (top left) was one of the most vocal proponents of desegregating the military. The USS Mason sometimes was derisively called “Eleanor's folly.” “The Navy sent a lieutenant commander from Washington to make the first convoy with us, and his job was just to observe how we handled ourselves,” DuFau notes. “We felt that was an insult, but we accepted the challenge. We knew that anything negative that occurred would be held against us. We were a crew that was dedicated to proving ourselves, because we realized the load that was on our shoulders.” Indeed, the crew of the Mason suffered many injustices. Racism was rampant — both from white sailors on other Navy ships and civilians the men encountered when in port. USOs often refused them entry. Casting lines tossed to piers sometimes were tossed back. In Charleston, S.C., white dockworkers tried to storm the ship when a troupe of white USO dancers came aboard to entertain the crew. Racial epithets were common. “If we were tied up in New York and had to pass two or three ships to get to the piers, the white sailors would make all kinds of racist remarks, calling us names,” Graham notes. “We were taught not to pay attention. But if we caught any of those PHOTOS: LEFT AND ABOVE, NATIONAL ARCHIVES; TOP LEFT, HULTON-DEUTSCH COLLECTION/CORBIS MILITARY OFFICER 57
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.