During World War Two the U S Armed Forces were segregated. As an example black men who joined the Navy often ended up with the dangerous job of handling munitions, here in this country. I watched a video, probably on the news, showing men working at an ammunition dump and most of the workers were black sailors. Once in a while a white sailor showed up, he was the supervisor. The Army was segregated as well. Because a railroad bridge had been blown up in Maine during World War One, the Army thought it might happen again; so they assigned a unit of black soldiers to guard the Grand Trunk Railway bridges.
Why that particular railway? The Grand Trunk ran from Portland, Maine to Montreal, Quebec. It was the open water port during the winter months that Canada could rely on, it was seen as more important than other railways.
The Army would send four men per bridge to guard it 24/7, little time off for these troops.
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PFC Leonard Parks in North Yarmouth, 1942 - click to enlarge
Photo: Maine Historical Society via www.mainememory.net |
The black troops lived in boxcars or in a caboose, they had to rely on the residents for water. They also often joined locals in church or playing baseball on their free time which was rare.
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Drawing water, North Yarmouth, 1942 - click to enlarge
Photo: Maine Historical Society via www.mainememory.net |
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Soldiers in a truck, 1942 - click to enlarge
Photo: Maine Historical Society via www.mainememory.net |
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