the buffalo soldierourhr.us/web24.pdf · 2015-09-22 · james h. gilliam don l. johnson 8275...

9th & 10th (Horse) Cavalry

Association Buffalo Soldiers

(The Official Army UNIT Association)

July - September 2014 Volume I1, Issue 24

The Buffalo Soldier

N E W S L E TT E R

Buffalo Soldier Spotlight James H. Gilliam

Don L. Johnson 8275 Jennifer Lane Seminole, FL 33777 –2802

July - September 2014 www.910hcav.org

From the Editors’ Desk: Greetings Troopers and Friends. I hope all is well with each of you and your families. We had a revitalizing time in Denver this year at the Anniversary Reunion . There was excellent history displayed both in person and in classes presented by our historians. We honored several of our Original Living Buffalo Soldiers and the youth of the Denver Chapter created pictorial histories of the soldiers of their military service. The youth also created a commemorative medal that was presented to our honored Troopers at the annual banquet. You missed a treat if you were not there this year. You owe it to yourself to be-come a part of the next reunion in Atlanta, GA. “Ready and Forward” Trooper Don L Johnson

Anniversary Reunion 2015 Set for Atlanta, GA Our next reunion is scheduled to be hosted by the Greater Atlanta Chapter in downtown Atlanta , GA. The tentative dates are July 27-August 2, 2015. The host hotel is the Crown Plaza Hotel Midtown, Atlanta 590 West Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta GA. Reservation line (877) 834-3613.

Editor’s Desk ………………………...……pg 1 Reunion Update ………...…………….…....pg 1 Trooper Spotlight ...………………...……...pg 1 President’s Message ……………...………..pg 2 Fiddler’s Green ….……………...……….…pg 3 Association Name Badges Order. ……….…pg 3 Colin Powel Historical Marker………….….pg 4 Colin Powel Historical Marker......................pg 5 Colorado Historical Marker ……......…..…..pg 6 Reunion Photos ……………………….... ....pg 7 Seven Seals Award..………………….….....pg 8 Originals Honored …………………...….....pg 9 Trooper Spotlight ………………………….pg 10 Reunion Moments ........................................pg 11 The Battle of Island Mound ........................pg 12

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THE BUFFALO SOLDIER N E W S L E TT E R

July- September 2014

Greetings To All Troopers, Ladies Auxiliary, Family and Friends I hope this newsletter finds you in good health and having enjoyed a great summer. I want to extend congratulations to the Denver Chapter for a memorable and enjoyable reunion. Please take a moment and join me in conveying our appreciation to them for a job well done. We accomplished a lot during this year’s National Board meeting, Chapter President’s meeting and General Membership meeting. As a result, we are closer to reaching some of our goals. Thank all of you for the part you played in making our business sessions extremely productive. This continues to be a very busy time for the Association. I want to commend the Chapters for the number of awesome projects being undertaken. There have been several projects involving several Chapters that reflect a

spirit of cooperation and sharing of resources. There have been Buffalo Soldier Corps projects that involved our chapters, other organizations and governmental agencies. A special thanks to Trooper Theard and his committee for the tremendous work taking place within the Buffalo Soldier Corps. I want to thank Commander Philpot for the marvelous job of orchestrating the placement of the Colin Powell bust at the Buffalo Soldier Monument in Fort Leavenworth. He worked tirelessly from the beginning phases through the unveiling ceremony. We appreciate him allowing the Association to be involved in the pre-unveiling and unveiling activities. It was a pleasure for us to have an opportunity to meet Colin Powell. Thanks to those members who participated. I know that some Chapters have been in communication or have already met with Mannie Lagonegro and Lucy Matsumoto regarding the “Legacy into the Future” program. Thank you for those efforts to help secure the financial future of this great organization. I am encouraging other Chapters to contact them. The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum and the Executive Board of the 9th and 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association have given final approval of the “Memorandum of Understanding”. This document will be signed on November 8, 2014. Please stay tuned for more details regarding this long awaited partnership and the upcoming plans for our National Headquarters. We are an active organization with multiple activities and projects underway. We are an organization of many talents. There is an opportunity for each member to play a role in some way. As we share the history and attempt to keep the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers alive, we have an opportunity to have a positive impact on our communities. We need everyone’s participation. Finally, to those families who have suffered the loss of a loved one or are experiencing health issues, know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. Please do not hesitate to call if there is anything we can do.

Yours in Service,

Willie Edley Jr. National President

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Troopers Transferred To Fiddler’s Green Since Last Reunion You are urged to report the death of a member, family member and Ladies Auxiliary to the

National President, National Chaplin and National 2nd Vice President for dissemination to the membership.

When a cavalrymen dies he begins a long march to his ultimate destination. About half-way along the road he enters a broad meadow dotted with trees and crossed by many streams, known as “Fiddler’s Green”. As he crosses The Green he finds an old canteen, a single spur, and a carbine sling. Continuing on the road he comes to a field camp where he finds all the troopers who have gone before him, with their campfires, tents and pickets lines neatly laid out. All other branches of the military must continue to march without pause. Cavalry though are authorized to dismount, unsaddle and stay in Fiddler’s Green ...their canteens ever full...the grass always green and enjoy the companionship and reminisce with old friends. * Trooper Edward Brydie * Trooper Charlie Johnson * Trooper Jonathan Norris Tacoma, Washington Lutz, Florida Woods & Wanton Chapter * Trooper Arthur Williams * Trooper Coreania H. Carter Greater Southern Arizona Chapter Thomas E. Polk Chapter, MD * Ms. Yvonne Collier, sister of Trooper Troy Walker and daughter of Trooper Ernest Collier * Mr. Joseph Davis, cousin of Troopers Bettye Greene Johnson and Don Johnson * Mr. James Walker, Uncle of Trooper Gail Reddick

* Trooper Andrew Winfree in the loss of his mother

Association Name Badge Order Form Chapter Name: ______________________________________

Trooper’s Name (please print)

__________________________________________ Total Name Badges: x $30.00 ea.

Number of Badges ______________

Total Cost: _____________________

Please make check payable to: 9th & 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association

( Mail payments to) Trooper Kevin McKoy

223 E. 24th Street Indianapolis, IN 46205

(623) 261-7601

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Colin Powell honored at Fort Leavenworth

More than 20 years ago, then - chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army Gen. Colin Powell dedicated the Buffalo Soldier Monument at Fort Leavenworth. The heroic, 16-foot bronze rendering of a cavalry member astride a horse saluted the several African-American regular Army regiments established just after the Civil War. They included the 10th Cavalry, formed at Fort Leavenworth in 1866. On Friday, the now retired general and former Secretary of State Powell returned to help dedicate a new monument to honor a later African-American military legacy - his own. He unveiled a bust of himself before about 1,000 people gathered at what is now Buffalo Soldier Memorial Park.

During a 30-minute ceremony, Powell detailed how, while stationed at the fort during the 1980s as a brigadier general, he often would jog around the post looking for statues and memorials honoring the legacy of those who came to be known as Buffalo Soldiers. All he found, he said, were two alleys bearing their names. “I thought, ‘This isn’t right,’” Powell said. “I was determined to change that. … “I wanted an equestrian statue. They were troopers. They were cavalry. I wanted on that horse a trooper in his uniform, a uniform just like white soldiers would wear. “I wanted him to have ‘U.S’ on his uniform … with a rifle in his hands and with courage in his heart. There would be no doubt that he was an equal, equal to any other soldier in the U.S. Army.” Powell also addressed the legacy of the African-American soldiers of the 20th century. “They were discriminated against, they were segregated, they were not treated as equals simply because of the color of their skin,” he said. “Theirs was the time of Jim Crow, of lynching, the lie of ‘separate but equal.’ But they knew that if they performed, if they did their best for their country, that sooner or later their country would do its best for them and those who came after.” However gratifying it may be to see his service saluted, Powell said, he hoped the new memorial would serve a larger purpose. “The real reward,” he said, “would be if the monument would inspire future generations of young men and young women of all the colors of the American rainbow to serve as these cavalry men did.” There was a strong Kansas City presence at the dedication . “Not only did Gen. Powell work to place the monuments here to honor the Buffalo Soldiers, now he is here to get one for himself,” said Charles Conner, commander of the American Legion Wayne Miner Post 149 in Kansas City. “It’s prestigious, and we are here to honor him.” The most gratified Kansas City area resident in attendance Friday likely was Carlton Philpot of Weatherby Lake. The retired Navy commander has worked for more than two decades to honor the Buffalo Soldier legacy at Fort Leavenworth. In his remarks, Powell noted that while he may have had the vision, it was others, Philpot chief among them, who got it done. After the ceremony, Philpot was still processing his emotions. “I’m numb,” he said”.

From :JILL TOYOSHIBA/The Kansas City Star

Left to Right, Mrs. Patti Brown, Gen. Robert Brown, Fort Leavenworth Post Commander, Gen. Colin Powell U.S. Army (Ret), Mrs. Alma Vivian Powell, and Trooper Carlton Philpot of Weatherby Lake. From Kansas City Star

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Colin Powell Honored at Fort Leavenworth, KS

General Powell and Mrs. Powell greet Trooper Philpot and another dignitary (below)

General Powell gives remarks

Above Left to Right, Mrs. Patti Brown, Gen. Robert Brown, Fort Leavenworth Post Commander, Gen. Colin Powell U.S. Army (Ret), Mrs. Alma Vivian Powell, and Trooper Carlton Philpot of Weatherby Lake. From The Kansas City Star

To touch history is gratifying

Buffalo Soldier and Tuskegee Airman pose with the general.

Troopers of the 9th and 10th pose with General Powell

Trinidad Colorado Buffalo Soldier gets recognition with the FIRST ever Colorado Historical Marker. The only known documented female Buffalo Soldier, who served in the United States 38th Infantry Regiment is finally getting her long overdue recognition.

On July 20, 2014 Trooper Nina Amos, founder and president of the Greater Denver Chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers along with her chapter, the Colorado Histo-ry Society, and the Black America West Museum & Heritage Center were instrumental in making this recognition possible. Members attending the 148th Anniversary Reunion traveled to Trinidad Colorado to witness the unveiling of the Memorial marker to honor Cathay Williams aka (Trooper Williams Cathay), who served from 1866 – 1868, and was the first African American Female to enlist in the United States Army. Trinidad, CO was the last known home of Cathay Williams. Trinidad Community Leaders, members of the Denver CO Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club, and other dignitaries were also present at the Colorado History Museum in Trinidad Co. The National President, Trooper Edley expressed his sincere appreciation to everyone who played a part in making this event possible. Trooper Henri LeGendre (a Living Buffalo Soldier) gave some remarks and expressed his gratitude for the event. Junior Buffalo Soldier Trooper Saint James Salsberry provided a historical presentation for the crowd, and the Junior Marine Corp Color Guard from Albuquerque, New Mexico presented the colors. Albuquerque, New Mexico also has a Historical Marker honoring Cathay Williams.

Colorado State Historian, William Convery, told all in attendance that this very special occasion “should have been done, and was way overdue, and we are proud to be a part of making this happen!”. Other remarks came from the Colorado Historical Society Staff, Black America West Museum Board Chairman, Daphne Helen Rice-Allen, and final remarks from Trooper Amos. During the time of the unveiling a replica of the final maker was used since the final marker was not completed at the time of the reunion. The final Marker was placed August 27, 2014. This was a special day of recognition and history making event will be remembered by all in attendance. Special Thanks is extended to Trooper Amos for her initiative to make this event and presentation of the marker possible.

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Denver Reunion 2014

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Mobile Chapter Receives Award

On August 12th 2014, the Greater Mobile Chapter of the 9th & 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association received an award. The Greater Mobile Chapter , Buffalo Soldiers was awarded the Seven Seals Award for it’s work with the affiliates of ESGR. This is the most prestigious award given by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). Trooper Bruce Mitchell (founding chapter president) Trooper Gabe Peck (first vice-president) and Trooper Joe Holland (second vice-president) attended the ESGR Award Luncheon. ESGR, a Department of Defense office, was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. ESGR is supported by a network of more than 4,700 volunteers in 54 committees located across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Volunteers, hailing from small business and industry, government, education and prior military service bring a vast wealth of experience to assist in serving employers, service members and their families. Together with Headquarters ESGR staff and a small cadre of support staff for each State Committee, volunteers work to promote and enhance employer support for military service in the Guard and Reserve. ESGR has served our country for more than 40 years, fostering a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States. These citizen warriors could not defend and protect us at home and abroad without the continued promise of meaningful civilian employment for themselves and their families. ESGR has continued to adapt to meet the needs of Reserve Component members, their families and America’s employers by joining forces with a network of other national, state and local government and professional trade organizations as together, We All Serve!

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Buffalo Soldier Originals Honored in Denver 2014

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James H. Gilliam Sr.

Born: Aug. 6, 1920, Baltimore, MD He had been in Italy when James Jr. was born in 1945, serving with the 92nd Infantry (Buffalo Division), 370th Infantry Regiment, during a 16-month deployment that helped the Allies win World War II. His service in that war will be recognized anew Friday morning, Aug. 29 , 2014, when U.S. Sen. Chris Coons visits Cokesbury Village in Hockessin, DE where Gilliam now lives, to deliver more than half a dozen long-lost medals and badges to the 94-year-old soldier. That includes two Bronze Star medals, one for heroism.

Gilliam's legacy of service – in housing, community development, the civil rights movement, mentoring and many other areas – has been recognized many times by governors, lawmakers, business leaders, educators and others over the years. But there were no such accolades that day in 1946, when Gilliam climbed aboard a train in New York to get home to his family. He was in uniform, a decorated officer returning from combat. When the train reached Washington D.C., he got into a "Southern" train and had to sit in a "Jim Crow" car – the car African-Americans had to sit in to keep them separate from white passengers. It was just behind the engine, so when he got hungry he had to move backward toward the dining car. He remembers walking through a car full of German prisoners-of-war – and noticing that it was much more comfortable than that Jim Crow car. Once in the dining car, he was steered to a table at the back. The server pulled a curtain closed after he sat down. The separation had to be maintained. Or – maybe not. Gilliam stood up angrily, pulled the tablecloth and everything with it off the table. "You can't do that!" the waiter shouted. "I just did," Gilliam said. He has stood up to such injustice many times, as his mother, Pocahantas Lipscomb, exhorted him to do. He walked away from jobs, rebuffed second-class status where he encountered it, and challenged shallow fixes to profound problems. But this was an especially vicious sting – a pain that a million black World War II veterans would understand. He had put his life on the line for the United States of America, but his homeland could not yet accept its own creed – that all men were created equal. And it still doesn't, Gilliam says. An angry start It was another angry episode that put Gilliam in the Army in the first place. He had been working as collating machine operator in an insurance office in Baltimore, when a white colleague asked him why he was doing so much to help a boss who took credit for his work and would never promote him. In addition to operating the machines, Gilliam had been repairing them – making for greater efficiency and lower cost. When Gilliam heard what was happening, he stopped making repairs. His boss challenged him, told him to be a team player. Gilliam said he knew he would never be promoted, and his boss said promotions were "something different." Gilliam told his boss where he could shove that job, walked down the street, and joined the Army. His intellect and leadership skills were recognized quickly. He was promoted from a "buck private" to a staff sergeant in six months' time, and was invited to officers' candidate school. He had hoped to be a pilot in the Army Air Corps – in the ranks of the Tuskegee Airmen, the nation's first black military pilots – but was found to be colorblind, which made him ineligible. Instead, he became a Buffalo Soldier, a lesser-known cohort of black troops whose original namesakes had served in the U.S. 10th Cavalry and helped to settle the West. They were nicknamed "Buffalo Soldiers" by Native Americans, according to many historical accounts, and they adopted the buffalo as their symbol. The highest-ranking officers in the 92nd Division were white, and the black soldiers – no matter their rank – still were cordoned off from much of Army life. They slept in separate quarters, were excluded from many events, and encountered continual insults – like the cartoon depictions of black troops with fangs and tails that Gilliam remembers. But that did not keep him from serving with distinction – as the two Bronze Star medals and the other list of awards attest. One report of his heroism was found in the National Archives during the search for Gilliam's records requested by Coons' staffer Brendan Mackie, himself an Army veteran of service in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to that report, which led to one of his Bronze Star medals, Gilliam was part of a company of infantry troops ordered to cross a canal on tanks in Italy on Feb. 9, 1945. "The tanks attracted enemy attention and were subjected to heavy artillery fire which caused confusion among the troops," the military report says. "Second Lieutenant Gilliam immediately took charge of the situation, although he was not in command of the company. Moving along the line of tanks as the hostile fire continued to fall in the area, Second Lieutenant Gilliam personally supervised the mounting of each unit, and made certain that each tank had a complete fighting unit. On several occasions, the intense fire forced the troops to leave the tanks and seek cover. Each time Second Lieutenant Gilliam, disregarding his own personal safety, would assemble the men and get them aboard the tanks. Second Lieutenant Gilliam's unselfish devotion to duty was an inspiration to the members of his organization and reflects credit on the highest traditions of the Armed Forces." Excerpted for The News Journal, by Beth Miller

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Anniversary Reunion Denver, CO 2014

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Battle of Island Mound This Civil War battle was significant because it was the first battle fought by trained black soldiers under the command of black officers. The Battle of Island Mound began on October 27, 1862, when over 200 -1st Kansas troops marched into Bates County from Ft. Lincoln, Kansas. Their mission was to clear out a confederate stronghold on Hog Island. They commandeered the Enoch and Christiana Toothman farm which was on the old Butler, Ft.. Scott road. The battle occurred on October 29th and marked the first time in American history that black soldiers engaged the enemy during the Civil War. Because of the attack on Lawrence, Kansas in August 1863 by Missouri guerrillas, General Thomas Ewing issued his infamous Order #11. This order included the counties of Jackson, Cass, Bates and Vernon and forced the residents in Bates County to vacate their homes within 15days. Bates County was the only county that was totally depopulated and left in absolute ruins. When the people of Bates County returned, they found burnt out structures and desolate land. During this time, courts were held in locations other than the county seat. In October 2008 the citizens of Bates County dedicated a statue of 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantryman, which is located on the grounds of the Courthouse. The State of Missouri purchased a portion of the Toothman farm and developed the State's newest State Historic Site, "Battle of Island Mound". Bates County is proud to remember and honor its past. The people who endured this time and place are a testament to the American spirit. Remembering our ancestors and honoring them for their sacrifices gives even greater meaning to the high cost of freedom and liberties enjoyed today by all Americans. Photo: Statue on the courthouse lawn honoring the 1st Kansas Colored Soldiers. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site was recently accepted into the National Park Services’ “National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.” Sites selected for inclusion in the Network to Freedom make a significant contribution to the understanding of the Underground Railroad in American history. Battle of Island Mound, the newest historic site in Missouri State Parks, was dedicated on October 28, 2012, on the 150th anniversary of the actual battle. The Battle of Island Mound marked the first time that African-American troops were engaged in Civil War combat. Battle of Island Mound State Historic site encompasses Fort Africa, where the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry were camped in 1862 before a pitched battle with pro-Confederate forces near a low hill named Island Mound. The site features a kiosk with three large interpretive panels and additional interpretive panels located along Courage Trail explain how the battle occurred and the significance of its outcome. The bravery of these men is reflected in a monument to them that concludes “…Here their bravery and determination helped our nation better understand the founding fathers’ words “all men are created equal.” The Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site is located in Bates County, Missouri about 7 miles west of Butler, Missouri. For information about state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Suggested By Troopers James Madison and Tom Gray

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Image Reproduced from Harper’s Weekly

Excerpted from the official county site for bated county ,Missouri

the buffalo soldierourhr.us/web24.pdf · 2015-09-22 · james h. gilliam don l. johnson 8275...

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