During World War II, the U.S. armed forces were, for the most part, racially segregated. African-American soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen were trained separately. They served in segregated units, usually commanded by white officers, although a small number of African Americans were commissioned during the war. At sea, black sailors were given segregated quarters, although modest experiments in integration were carried out.

For the most part, African Americans served in support and labor units rather than in front-line combat units. In December 1942, President Roosevelt issued an executive order calling for African Americans to make up 10 percent of all personnel drafted for the services.

During World War I, some 380,000 African Americans were enlisted or drafted into the army, 89 percent assigned to labor units and only 11 percent committed to combat. After the war, African-American membership in the army fell to just 5,000 enlisted men (2 percent of the service) and five officers. During World War II, black membership in the army rose spectacularly; 900,000 African Americans served by war's end, mostly in support roles, including the famed Red Ball Express truck convoys run during the advance through France following the Normandy landings (D-day). Although black officers were few, there was one African-American brigadier general, Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. . . .

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