TRIPLE NICKLE

MAINTAINING AN IMPORTANT LEGACY In the winter of 1943-1944 twenty young African-American enlisted men were ordered to Fort Benning, Georgia to be trained as parachutists. These young men were pioneers because, never before in the segregated military system then prevalent, were "Coloreds" considered intelligent enough or brave enough to serve in combat units of any type and certainly not capable of being paratroopers. In early 1944 sixteen of these young men completed requisite training, in spite of being subjected to treatment designed to make them fail, and were awarded the silver wings of qualified parachutists. Shortly thereafter an additional trooper, having been delayed by a family emergency, was also awarded the much coveted parachutist badge. These men were led by former First Sergeant Walter Morris, and went on to form the cadre for the 555th Parachute Infantry Company at Camp Mackall, North Carolina. Several weeks after the "Test Platoon" graduated; six black officers also..

Primary location: Tampa United States