OPINION:
During World War II, racism was rife in the segregated American military, especially in the Navy. The Navy wouldn’t train its first Black officers until January 1944, when 16 sailors were selected for an officer-training course that crammed the standard three months of training into two months.
After the men passed with extremely high grades, the military suspected cheating, and the sailors were made to retake the test. Again, they passed. Their record-high class average still stands.
The Navy only anticipated that 12 of these service members would pass, reflecting the historical pass rate of 75%. The Navy only wanted to commission 12. but it “generously” allowed a 13th sailor to become a warrant officer. The three sailors not selected were returned to the ranks without explanation. On March 17, 1944, those 13 sailors were commissioned and immediately christened “the Golden 13” in the African American press.
Only 64 out of the 187,000 African American men who served during the war were officers. Today, 49 men and women have reached that rank. They stand on the shoulders of the illustrious Golden 13.
PAUL L. NEWMAN
Merion Station, Pennsylvania
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