Bottom
model of USS Ward which fired the first shot at Perl
Harbor 7 Dec. 1941 an hour before the Japanese air
attack hitting a midget submarine. The brass
cartridge case is for the 4 inch guns used on the
destroyer.
These
weapons were in the pipe line when the war ended 2 Sept.
1945. 3.5 inch rocket launcher, 2.75 inch air to
ground rocket, 105mm, 75mm and 57mm recoilless rifle
rounds. Model Navy Skyraider and Air Force P.80
Jet aircraft.
Blacks
could be ambulance drivers and stretcher bearers where
they were verbally abused by wounded white troupes who
they carried off the battlefield.
Tuskegee Airmen Case
Navy gun ammunition from
3 inch 50 caliber to
8 inch 55 caliber
Naval Aircraft and Carriers
Blacks were not allowed to fly for the Navy in WWII.
Artillery Case
Both
anti-aircraft and field artillery guns and ammunition.
German
tank models and the ammunition for them from 85mm on
left down to 37mm.
American
model tanks and the ammunition for them from 105mm on
left down to 37mm.
German fighters and
bombers.
American bombers and
fighters.
Submarine, destroyer, destroyer escort display.
The USS
Mason DE529 had 160 black sailors out of a crew of 200,
the largest warship with a predominately black crew.
About 785
black stewards and officers cooks made war patrols
aboard US submarines. 74 perished. Mess
attendant 1st class Nathanial Johnson was first aboard.
S-226 sunk in collision with its escort. Steward's
mate 2nd class Hubert Hackett and steward's mate 1st
class Percy Johnson Jr. died 6 Aug. 1945 when the last
sub USS Bullhead was lost with all hands. Steward
Killraine Newton made several war patrols. When he
retired from the Navy in 1971 he was Lt. Commander, the
highest rank achieved by any war time steward.
