AUG 4 «■OJfTLA WANTED dub , Fraternal 4 Social Nows This is YOUR Newspaper . . . so help make it yours by sending in these happenings._______ VOLUM E 1 SUBSCRIBE TO om an Portland's Leading Colored Newspaper PORTLAND, ORE.. JULY 28, 1944 Commanding Officer Praises Negro Personnel Who Served at Port Chicago After Explosion Monday Night Blood Bank Negro Naval personnel attached to both the Naval maga­ zine at Port Chicago, California, and the Naval ammunition deoot at Mare Island Navy Yard, California, acquitted them­ selves with “ great credit,” during the explosion at Port Chi­ cago recently, according to Captain Merrill T. Kinne, U. S. N. R., Commanding Officer. “ Under those emergency conditions.” he said, “ regular members of our complement and volunteers from Mare Island displayed creditable coolness and bravery.” Negro bluejackets comprise a large percentage of the Port Chicago Naval establishment enlisted personnel. Captain Kinne said it was diffi - ‘ cult to single out individuals who at that station last Monday night. participated in rescue and pre­ “ These men, in the months that ventive operations at Port Chi­ they served at that command, did cago. Four Negro enlisted men did, excellent work in an important however, move boldly into a dan­ segment of the district’s overseas ger area around boxcars loaded combat supply system. As real with ammunition and quell flames, navy men, they simply carried on he said. in the crisis attendant on the ex­ plosion, in accordance with our service’s highest traditions.’’ The Twelfth Naval District of the N avy Department this week made public the names of 213 Naval personnel missing and pre­ sumably dead in the explosion of the U. S. Naval Magazine, Port Chicago, Calif. The list contained the names of nine naval officers, 203 naval enlisted personnel and one Marine enlisted man. It did not include merchant ship, naval armed guard, Coast Guard or civilian personnel. The list of casualties may be seen at the offices of the Portland Inquirer, 2736 N. E. Rodney Ave., or Vanport 2410 N. Cottonwood, apartment 505. They were Richard L. McTere, seamon, first class, of Detroit, Mich.; William E. Anderson, sea­ man, first class, of Chicago, 111.; E. S. Allen, seaman, first class, of Detroit; John Andrew Haskins, pharmacist’s mate, third class, of Washington, D. C. Some 200 Negro sailors volun­ teered at once at the ammunition depot, Mare Island, for service at Port Chicago during the emerg­ ency. Declaring their conduct out­ standing, Captain Kinne named the following men as having been observed in courageous pursuit of their duty: Richard E. Webb, gun­ ner’s mate, second class, of Chi­ cago; Bernard N. Clagett, gun­ ners’ mate, second class, of Los Angeles; Ivan A. Hoyle, motor ma­ chinist’s mate, second class, of Chicago; James A. Martinez, car­ penter's mate, second class, of Shreveport, Louisiana; Floyd E. Scarborough, motor machinist’s mate, third class, of Washington, D. C.; Harry Fortune, seaman, first class, of Philadelphia, Penn­ sylvania; Wayman R. Nelson, mo­ tor machinist’s mate, third class, o f Kansas City, Kansas; Robert Lee Williams, electrician’s mate, third class, of Lexington, Ken­ tucky; William T. Harris, shipfit- ter. third class, ol Bloomfield, New Jersey; William H. DeWitt, sea­ man, second class, of Pittsfield, Mass.; Edward Harrington, phar­ macist’s mate, third class, of New York City; Archie B. Covington, hospital apprentice, first class, of Chicago. Statement of Rear Admiral Carleton H. Wright. U. S. N. Rear Admiral Wright, U. S. N., commandant of the Twelfth Naval District, stated today: “ I am gratified to learn, as was to be expected, Negro peisonnel attached to the naval magazine, Port Chicago, performed bravely and efficiently in the emergency acquirer Dr. Robert N. Joyner has asked that Volunteers call his office to have their Blood Typed in prepara­ tion for any emergencies that may arise when Blood Transfusions are needed for our people. Transfusions will be paid for at the established rate. For further i n t i mation catb VE 4404. PRICE l .c | TOUK PROGRESSIVE NEGBO NEWSPAPER NUM BER 5. ELKS DONATE MEMBERSHIP In a surprise event that will have far reaching conse­ quences. the Billy Webb Lodge, No. 1050, I. B. P. O. E. of W. bestowed full membership in the Lodge on the Editor of the PO RTLAND INQUIRER. The occasion was their regular semi-monthly meeting and followed the introduction of Mr. Faulk to the members present by their Exalted Ruler, Willie Lee Shine. The incident, unique in the annals of fraternization, was breath taking in its magnanimity and superbly executed ✓ by this branch of the world’s largest Negro Fraternal Order. --------------------------------------------- High-lighting this surprise affair. ------------------ ------------------------— was a speech by the Editor of the Portland Inquirer in which he stated that “ ownership of this new and dif­ Portland Inq uirer ferent newspaper rested wholly and 2 7 3 6 N . E. Rodney A venue solely with him, rumors to the con­ trary.” Among other things the months and find Please enter my subscription for Elks were told that the colored pop­ enclosed $ ....................................... ulation of Portland hnd not re­ sponded as they should have to a N a m e ............................................. periodical that is attempting to do as much as the Portland Inquirer Street A d d re s s ......................... to promote the welfare of the Negro. The Elks then took the lead in the City.................................... first mass subscription of their his­ 3 Months $1.25 One Year $5.00 6 Months $2.50 tory. As the suggestion of their E x­ alted Ruler, the meeting was sus­ pended while every man present took out a subscription to the Port- I land Inquirer. This is the kind of support that the I. B. P. O. E. of W. is famous for the world over. Let it be some worthy Negro enterprise within or outside of their ranks, the Elks can always be depended upon to give their whole-hearted support. It is for this reason that the I. B. P. O. E. of W. can claim the largest membership among Negroes of any fraternal organization in the world. More power to the Elks of Port­ land. we need more people like them here. SUBSCRIPTION ORDER JUNE-LILLY SEXTETTE TO APPEAR HERE RADIO STARS RESIDENTS OF PORTLAND Portland music lovers will experi­ ence a rare treat Sunday evening, August 6, when the June-Lilly Sex­ tette will make its initial appear­ ance in a recital given at the Wom­ an’s Club Auditorium, 1220 S. W. Taylor street, at 8:30 P. M. The group is made up of out­ standing singers, some o£ whom have appeared with nationally known choirs throughout the states, while other members of the sextette are Portland’s own, and exhibit a fine array of talent. A pleasing variety of classical, semi-classical, patriotic numbers and spirituals will make up the pro­ gram. Soprano soloists are Mrs. Clarine Smith, Portland, and Mrs. Mary Geneva Savage of New Mexico . The sextette is under the direc­ tion of Mrs. M. L. Cabell, and rep­ resents stars of radio and stage Fiisl Negro Reserve Officers Assigned to Dnfv at Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor (D ela y ed )— The first Negro Reserve Officers of the Reading from left to right are: Mrs. Mignon Cabell, Mrs. Jimme U. S. Navy to be assigned to duty Franklin, and Miss H. M. Lily. Miss Lily is the “ lady of the ivories’’, outside the continental United States have arrived in the Four­ never before heard in Portland. The To miss these sisters is to miss teenth Naval District. famous Lilly Trio is made up en­ the treat of a decade, we are not The Negro officers on duty at tirely of Portland’s own. three sis­ sure that they can be persuaded to Manana Nava! Barracks, adjacent ters who are very well known here reappear, it will be left to the pub­ to the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, who have at last been persuaded lic. So it is up to you. are: ' For reserved seats call the Port­ to give a rendition of some of the Ensign Jesse W. Arbor, U. S. “ Numbers’’ that made them favor­ land Inquirer, W E 7220, or Vanport N. R., 6220 St. Lawrence avenue, ites on the radio stations of Okla­ Office, WE 1534, or Mrs. Clarine Chicago, Illinois, and Warrant O f­ homa and Texas. Smith, 322 S. E. 8th avenue. ficer Charles B. Lear, U. S'. N. R., 1010 White street, Canton, Mis­ souri. Both were members of the first Negro officer class graduated from the indoctrination school at Great Lakes Naval Training Sta­ tion, May 1, 1944. Lieutenant Commander Grady Avant, U. S. N. R., Commanding Officer of the station, described En­ sign Arbor and Warrant Officer Lear as exemplary officers, capable of handling their assignments. A college graduate, Ensign Arbor looks upon his new duties in a prac­ In order to V O T E in the Fall Elections you first M U ST register. In order to reg­ tical as well as philosophical man­ ner. He explained that he began his ister you will have to go to the County Court House. duties in the N avy as an enlisted To reach the County Court House take the Williams Ave. bus or the Alberta man and understands the problems trolley car or the Sellwood bus. Get off at Salmon Street (1000 S. W .) and walk of the colored sailor. two blocks east. The Ensign is a graduate of Arkansas State College, class of From St. Johns or Interstate bus transfer at Oak Street to the Mississippi bus 1935, and played tackle on the var­ or Broadway trolley. Get off at Salmon Street and walk two blocks west. sity football team. He pursued post From Vanport ride bus to end of line (9th and O ak), walk east on Oak to Broad­ graduate courses in social sciences way and take the Broadway trolley or Mississippi bus. Get off at Salmon Street, at Lewis Institute in Chicago, and prior to entering the service, July W alk two blocks west. 11, 1942, conducted a tailoring es­ It costs you absolutely nothing to R EGISTER. Just say you came in to register. tablishment in Chicago. Before be­ Give your name and address and any other information that is asked of you. Say ing commissioned he was on a mine what party you want to register for (Republican or Democratic) and that is all sweeper along the eastern coast. He is 29 years old. there is to it. W arrant Officer Lear is a native You are free to choose either party for which you want to register. of Keokuk, Iowa, and is 28. He is a DO N O T P U T IT O FF. R E G IS T E R N O W . I f you wait until later, you will prob­ graduate of the high school in this ably have to wait in line. So R E G IS T E R N O W while there is no rush. Even if you home town and entered the service do not think yon will be here for the election you can register now just in case yon June 26, 1942, and prior to being assigned to indoctrination school are here. was a company commander at Great Lakes. TO THE NEGROES OF MULTNOMAH COUNTY Portland and Vanport City Registration Is Now Open at the County Court House, 5th Avenue and Salmon Street. Room 141