Page 22 Portland Observer
Section II Thursday. February 23. 1978
Blacks and the Navy
Black History Month is a time
for observing the numerous
achievements of Black men and
women in American society. The
professionalism and achieve
ments of Black Americans have
enhanced the United States
Navy since 1978.
In the Navy, the heroic history
of Black Americans can be traced
back through every national con
flict since the Revolutionary
War. when about twenty percent
ot the sailors manning Continen
tai Navy vessels were Blacks.
But from the first Black en
listee in the war for indepen
dence. to over 40.000 Black men
and women officers and enlisted
people today, the story of Blacks
in naval history has been an
uphill battle of “firsts.”
“It was pure hell to be the first
Black anything." lecalls Dr. Sa
muel E. Barnes, the chairman of
health and physical education at
the University of District of
Columbia, who was among the
first of thirteen Black navi offic
ers commissioned as a group in
the winter of 1944. “We felt
fortunate, humbled and a great
responsibility to represent the
Black sailors of the past, present
and those who would follow
Although Black enlistees of the
past were restricted to the ste
ward and messmen job ratings
until as late as 1943. the Black
sailor of today is represented in
virtually ever occupation, techni
cal rating and pavgrade.
“There was a time when cer
tain ratings weren't open to
minorities even though the law,
or rules, didn't say they were
closed." explained Commander
Mack Gaston. 37. of Dalton,
Georgia, who today is the only
Black destroyer commanding of
ficer presently assigned to the
Pacific Fleet. “While there are
still some problems, the equal
opportunity programs and oppor
tunities for promotions in both
the officer and enlisted ranks
have become unlimited, in my
opinion."
Those ranks include three
Black admirals and 8.5 percent of
the Navy's chief petty officers.
And although it took 195 years
before the appointment of the
first Black officer to the rank of
rear admiral in 1971 - Captain
Samuel L. Gravely Jr., today
Vice Admiral Gravely. Comman
der. Third Fleet - the unrestrict
ed line community today is made
up of more than 450 Black offi
cers.
Of the 54 officer programs
available in today's Navy, includ
ing training programs and spe
cialties in the fields of medicine,
law, religion, aviation, supply,
engineering and surface warfare
related areas, the Navy's objec
tive in officer candidate recruit
ment is that at least six percent
be Black and two percent be
other minorities.
Being the member of two
minority groups doesn't worry
27 year-old Lieutenant Doris
Forte of Houston, Texas, who is
the first Black woman doctor
admitted to the Navy in the field
of optometry.
“Being the first Black woman
really doesn’t bother me.” she
said from her office at Naval
Regional Medical Center in San
Diego. “In college I often found
myself being the majority of one.
But optometry is a very good
profession for women although it
isn’t reflected in numbers yet in
the Navy or civilian life."
Likewise. Navy Radioman
Third Class Denita G. Harvey
from Los Angeles, who was
picked for her outstanding per
formance as a student to become
a full-time faculty instructor at
basic Radioman technical school
in San Diego, says that what
really matters in life is helping
other people.
“I'm fond of working with
people.” said the 21 year-old ra
dioman. as she went about her
duties of teaching the skills ne
cessary to run the Navy's sophis
ticated communication equip
ment. “I've been working with
people since high school and my
pre med days as a student at the
University of Southern Califor
nia.”
Among the first Blacks to be
commissioned late in 1944 - a
year which recorded the first
Black officer and the first Black
woman "Wave" - was Thomas D.
Parham Jr., a native of Durham.
North Carolina.
Parham, is Captain and 57-
y ear-old Chief of Pastoral Care
Service at Naval Regional Medi
cal Center, Portsmouth, Virginia,
was the second Black chaplain
and second Black Captain in the
Navy. He's one of fifteen Black
ministers of a total 850 chaplains
on active duty, and he’s dedi
cated his life to making sure the
The crew who, with Robert Smalls, eoea.ied the Confederacy and
gave their ship to the UJJ. Navy.
whole flock is spiritually repre
sented.
“Black enlisted servicemen
and those of other races as well,
need people of their own ethnic
backgrounds to look up to as men
and women in authority and
prominence." he explained. “But
many Black clergymen feel
there's a cause out in the streets
too important to forsake to come
in the Navy."
Navy Lieutenant Commander
Robert Lawhorn of Camden.
South Carolina, is another man
who has had opportunities open
up to him as the result of other
Black innovators with causes.
Lawhorn, a naval flight officer
and instructor with Fighter
Squadron 124 at Miramar Naval
Air Station in San Diego, is one
of 188 Black officers in the field of
naval aviation today to follow on
Celebrating pride in a history
of 400 years of accomplishment
Best wishes and congratulations . . .
Commissioner Frank Ivancie