The Mississippi enterprise., September 30, 1944, Image 1

About The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current

Image provided by: Mississippi Department of Archives and History

                
S MISSISSIPPI ENTERPRISE W
VOLUME 6— NUMBER 31 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1944 ' PRICE FIVE CENTS
State Men Do Good Job Of
Supplying Ammunition For
Guns In European Theatre
Work Day and Night Stopping Only
For Chow, and Minimum Rest
Headquarters, European Theater
of Operations—You can bet your
last War Bond on this one—the
men supplying ammunition for the
guns are doing their job, and do
ing it well.
Take the case of a quartermaster
service company whose organiza
tion is chiefly Negro. Every shot
fired Jerry’s way scores a direct
bull’s eye here too. Arriving in the
European theater of operations
shortly before D-Day, they immedi
ately began unloading and loading
ammunition destined for foreign
shore operations. They worked day
and night, around the clock, stop
ping only for chow and for the
minimum of rest, in order to make
sure the most important tool of
modern war was taken care of.
Undaunted by the fact that they
were to stay behind and would
miss out on the “big show” to
come, they did everything in their
power to play their part well. To
day they learned the importance of
their work. Units like their own
were largely responsible for the
success of the operation, due to the
continuous flow of supplies and
ammunition, without which the
landings and terrific advances
could never have been achieved.
company, commanded by Captain
Harry H. Hagopian of Rt 9, Fresno,
Cal., stood at formation to learn
they had received new honors.
They were recently commended by
Allied dock officers at a British
port for the best disciplined and
most efficient group of any in the
dock area.
Previously this unit was com
mended by Brigadier General C. H.
Kells, former commanding general
of the Boston Port of Embarkation
for their work in unloading cargo
freight in record time, while as
signed to that port.
Activated November 22, 1943, at
Indiantown Gap, Pa., the company
moved overseas to England six
months later. Recently this unit
moved into a new home, which was
a former civilian evacuee camp,
and has completely renovated and
landscaped it into a model army
camp.
Enlisted men of the company
from Mississippi are:
Natchez: Staff Sgt. Hawkins, son
of Mrs. Alice G. Hawkins, Selma.
Woodville: Sgt. Henry O. Brenget
tsy, son of Mrs. Catherine Bren
gettsy, Wilkinson. Jackson: Tech.
4th grade, James Flemon, grand
son of Mrs. Lula Bracy, Rt. 1, box
113, Madison. Duncan: Tech. 4th
grade Willie G. Calhoun, Rt. 1, box
109. Tillatoba: Tech. 5th grade Odell
Bailey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ver
non Bailey, Rt. 1, Box 84. Green
wood: Tech. 5th grade George
Kates, brother of Mr. Joe Kates,
Rt. 3, box 44. Leaf: Tech 5th grade
I Roman McLeod, son of Mrs. Sallie
F. McLeod. Newton: Tech. 5th
grade Herman Patrick, son of Mrs.
Fannie P. Patrick, Rt. 3, box 19,
Decatur. Weir: Tech: 5th grade
Marshall Kobinson, son or Mr. aam
Robinson, RFD 1. Vicksburg: Tech.
5th grade Willie Sampson, son of
Mrs. Josephine Sampson, 2119Vi
Letitia St. Edwards: Tech. 5th grade
John W. Singleton, son of Mrs.
Viola J. Sampson, Rt. 3, box 16.
Forest. Pfc. Levi Adams, son of
Mrs. Callie H. Adams. Shaw: Pfc.
Eugene Bradley, son of Mrs. Bessie
T. Lee. Heidleberg: Pfc. Clifton
Darty ,son of Mrs. Carrie L. Jones.
Sharon: Pfc. William Day, son of
Lelia S. Day, Rt. 1, box 45. Yazoo
City; Pfc. Hubert Farris, son of
Mrs. Mary Farris, Rt 5, box 168.
Meridian: Pfc. Robert Jones, ne
phew of Mrs. Willie A. Nichols,
53rd Ave., and 5th St. Swifton: Pfc.
Willie Jones, son of Mrs. Amy J.
Jones, Rt. 1, box 217.
Magnolia: Pfc. A. C. Megee, son
of Mrs. Fannie A. Hood. Prairie:
Pfc. Ernest McNairy, son of Mrs.
Lady Bee Carlisle McNairy, gen
eral delivery. Greenwood: Pvt.
John T. Melton, son of Mr. Phil
Melton, Rt. 3, box 52. Yazoo City:
Pfc. Manuel Ross, son of Mrs. El
nora G. Ross, Rt. 2, box 201-A.
Vaughn: Pvt. Herman Bradfield,
son of Mrs. Annie S. Bradfield, Rt
2, box 96; Pvt. Marcus Bradfield,
son of Mrs. Hattie S. Bradfield, Rt.
2, box 156. Tylertown: Pvt Jerry
L. Connerjy, son of Mr. Jerry M.
Connerly, Rt. 4, box 108. Silver
I
Negro Troops
Supply Tons Of
Food Daily
Headquarters, Advanced Section,
Communications Zone, France —
The 3264th quartermaster service
company has certainly kept the
stomachs of the men of the First
and Third Armies well filled, by
supplying them with more than
1,600,000 pounds of food daily, via
a quartermaster supply depot not
far behind the lines in the ad
vanced section in France.
According to Fii*st Lieutenant
Lester W. Gordon, of 1625 Pacific
street, Brooklyn, N.Y., that was the
average amount of rations handled
daily by this one Negro company
alone during the most difficult
phases of the drive for France and
in the maintenance of supplies dur
ing the most speedy advances.
The unit, which landed in Eng
land on July 12, 1942, waded in to
the beachheads in France on June
30, and took over the job of sup
plying the front lines. It struck its
high mark at Bouteville, in Nor
mandy, with the 800 tons being
rushed, by convoy, right up to the
fighting men at the front. For three
weeks it supplied the advance
points on the front lines, and has
done the same job during the past
month.
The 3264th is commanded by
First Lieutenant Leroy E. Tyler,
white, of 125 Hewitt street, Tren
ton, N. J. It has another Negro of
ficer, in addition to Lieutenant
Gordon. He is Second Lieutenant
Leonard W. Cobb, Sr., of 229 Cor
nell Avenue, Drexel, Dayton, Ohio,
who joined them in February, 1944.
First Sergeant of the company is
James Rufus Blackwell, of 1608
31st Avenue, Meridian, Miss., son
of Mr. and Mrs. George W. Black
well.
The men work round the clock
on regular shifts, and accomplish
their tasks with such efficiency,
that, according to Master Sergeant
Paul J. McCannon, of Sullivan,
Ind., who is in charge of the depot
labor and operations unit: “It's the
best damned company in the United
States army.”
“Duck” Units Do
Great Supply
Job in France
With U. S. Army Forces in
France — One of the war’s great
est jobs of supplying the front lines
with food and ammunition is cred
ited to Negro amphibious truck
companies which landed in France
with the invasion army and have
been working day and night ever
since.
A “duck” traveling on land looks
like a big whale lumbering down
the road at 50 miles an hour, but in
j water all but the rims of the top
structure are submerged. The ducks
go dashing down the beaches and
head straight out into the water
where the driver shifts the under
carriage propeller into action and
white foam starts to boil up from
behind. An empty duck will buck
head on into a 15 foot wave and
keep right on going to the next one.
General Eisenhower has watched
and commented favorably on the
operations of duck companies on
several occasions. And both the
King of England and Prime Minis
creek: Pvt. Theodore Daggins, son
of Mrs. Susianna Daggins, Rt. 1,
'box 59. Rosedale: Pvt. Sam Ed
wards, son of Mr. Will Edwards,
Leland. Utica: Pvt. Charlie Flowers,
Jr., son of Mr. Charlie Flowers, Sr.,
Rt. 2, box 93. Slate Springs. Pvt. J
J. Hervy, son of Mr. Jack Hervy
Rt. J, box 31. Houlka:Pvt. Harvard
Hill, son of Mrs. Dessie R. Hill, Rt,
3. Gulfport: Pvt. Issac Johnson, son
of Mrs. Gertrude W. Johnson, 1298
Mills Ave. Ruleville: Pvt. Wilbert
L. Marshall, grandson of Mrs. An
nie B. R. Cochran, Rt. 2, box 124
Louise: Pvt. Charlie Moore, Jr.
son of Mr. Charlie Moore, Sr., Rt
1, box 283.
SOLDIERS RECOVER RAPIDLY IN REHARILITATION CENTER
teg&A f'; ‘
The program followed in a U. S. Rehabilitation Center in England embraces the latest ideas of medical science and psychology. As
a result, about 70 per cent of the patients, or “trainees” as they are called, are returned to field duty within 60 days. Upper left photo:
GIs working in the headquarters of the hospital—left to right, Pvt. Walter D. Seawright, of Cleveland, Ohio, and T/Sgt. Charles Urksta.
Upper right: Pvt. Claude Huey, of Birmingham, Ala. (left), and Pvt. Russell Cocldin, of Stockton, Calif., at work in a Morse code
class. Lower left: A class receives instructions in dismantling the .30 calibre machine-gun. Holding the barrel is Cpl. Oscar Williams,
of Baltimore, Md. Lower right: Trainees receiving instructions in the German language—left to right, Pfc. Lonnie Hughes, of Middle- '
port, Ohio, Sgt. Morris Heilman, of Philadelphia; S/Sgt. Litton Thomas, of Crossville, Tenn., and Pfc. Leroy Chatman, of Baltimore, Md.
(U. S. Army Signal Corps P^hotos.)
Agent Visits Detroit
m. i wmwan i
Mr. Roosevelt Strong, represen
tative for The Mississippi Enter
prise in Hazlehurst, Miss.
Mr. Strong, who is one of the
leading citizens of his town, tak
ing an active part in all religious,
educational and civic affairs, is
also a Scout Master.
He recently returned to Hazle
hurst, after an extended visit to
Detroit, where he visited his son.
Enroute home he visited other rela
tives and friends in Chicago.
As agent and reporter for this
paper in his town. Mr. Strong is do
ing a splendid job. Beginning at
15 papers, he now sells nearly 200
each week.
He ask that his readers will co
operate with him by sending in
their news.
Those Tire Inspection Records
Keep those tire inspection records
until you get your new mileage ra
tioning record form along with your
new “A” book, OPA says. Since dis
continuance of periodic tire inspec
tion last April, tire inspection rec
ords have been kept primarily as
a record of gasoline rations issued
each automobile, and will no longer
be necessary when the new form is
issued. Outside the East Coast
states, the new “A” book will go
into use September 22, and in the
17 East Coast states, February 9.
More new wood is grown in the
South each year than cotton.
ter Winston Churchill have been
transported from naval craft to the
beaches in these amphibious craft.
The following Mississippi soldiers
are operating ducks on the coast
of France:
Biloxi: Sgt. Stanley L. Williams,
631 Main street. Bovina: Pvt. Saul
Folkes, Rt. 2, box 57. Greenwood:
Pvt. Charles Hayes, Rt. 2. Lucina:
Tech. 5th grade A. C. Brown, Rt. 1.
Vicksburg: Tech 5th grade Eddie
Harvard, Rt 3.
Dr. and Mrs. Coney Returns
From Supreme Council Session
In Houston, Texas
AH Mississippi Delegates Honored
With High Offices
Last week. Dr. and Mrs. T. J.
Cuney, grand master and grand
royal matron, respectively of the
Most Worshipful Cuney Grand
Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M., state
of Mississippi and Queen Esther
Grand Chapter, O.E.S.. returned to
the city after attending the 63rd
biennial session of the United Su
preme Council, Ancient Accepted
Scottish Rite Masons which con
vened in Houston, Tex., September
16-21.
Both, Dr. and Mrs. Cuney said
that this was one of the most suc
cessful and harmonious sessions in
the history of the organization. In
a interview with Mrs. Cuney she
stated that the Mississippi dele
gates really brought “the bacon”
back to Mississippi.
She stated that there were dele
gates from over 16 states of the
Union and Mississippi was credited
with one of the most favorable re
ports to the session.
The following honors were be
stowed on the Mississippi delega
tion:
111. D. T. J\ Cuney, 33, Supreme
Grand Commander of the Knight
Temple of U.S.A.
111. Dr. T. W. Kennard, 32, Su
preme Grand Treasurer, Green
ville, Miss.
111. D. G. Guy, 33, Imperial Rec.
of Imperial Grand Council of
U.S.A., Merigold, Miss.
Mrs. N. J. Cuney was honored
with the office of Most Ancient Su
preme Grand Matron of the Dau
ghters of Spinks of U.S.A., and
Supreme Grand Treasurer of the
Supreme Grand Chapter of O.E.S.
of U.S.A.
Accompany the Cuney’s was Mrs.
C. A. Greer, wife of Dr. C. A.
Greer, who was a delegate from
the local chapter, of O.E.S., and
Loosen Lid On Stove Rationing
The rationing of coal and wood
stoves to consumers will end Octo
ber 15, the War Production Board
and OPA have announced, although
rationing of oil and gas stoves will
continue. Supplies of coal and wood
stoves have grown sufficiently
since nation wide rationing started
in August, 1943, to make continued
rationing unnecessary.
Dr. T. J. Cuney
who was elected Supreme Grand
Elector.
Mrs. Cuney also stated that th\
Most Worshipful Cuney Grand
Lodge is affiliated with and holder
of the original legal documents of
the late John G. Jones, which or
! ganization will stand all tests.
Before returning to Jackson, Dr.
and Mrs. Cuney and Mrs. Greer
vacationed in Galveston, Tex. They
report a most enjoyable trip.
Bishop Smiley
Travels In
The Delta
Elder Smiley Jones, pastor of
True Tabernacle Church of God in
Christ, 127 E. Bell Street has re
cently returned from a trip in
the Delta where he reported a
grand time.
He held services at Webb and
Glendora, where hundreds of peo
ple attended the meeting.
Mother Jones, Deacon Jackson
and Sister Griffin were with the
Bishop and they stopped in the
home of Sister Louie Conard of
Glendora, she i^ a missionary of
the Movement, She gave them a
wonderful time and they met many
friends.
They came to Bell Street for ser
vice Sunday night.
Sarah Craft, Reporter,
*
Visitor From California
I
Mr. H. D. Watts of Berkley, Cal,
who was a recent visitor m the city
as guest of his mother-in-law, Mrs.
Fannie Washington and sister, Miss
W. B. Brown, Savage street.
Before coming to Jackson, Mr.
Watts visited in Beloid. Wis., where
he was joined by his mother, Mrs.
Disken Watts who came to Jackson
with him.
Both visitors were tended many
social coutresies by Mrs. Washing
ton and Miss Brown, including a
motor trip to Piney Woods Coun
try Life School where they were
guests in the home of Mrs. Nellie
Bass. Others who made the trip
to Piney Woods were: Mrs. Geral
dine Rawls and Mrs. Ida Golden.
Mr. Watts is the husband of Mrs.
Virginia Watts, nee Virgnia Wash
ington and both he and his wife
are former graduates of Piney
Woods Country Life School.
Church T o Sponsor
Program Sunday
The B.T.U. of the New Mt. Zion
Baptist church will on Sunday,
October 1, sponsor a Mother's and
Daughters’ Financial program at
the church, Sunday, October 1, at
7:45 p.m.
The program has been outlined
as folows:
Song by chorus and ordance,
prayer by Bro. Tommie Arnold,
song, by chorus and ordance, Scrip
ture, song, B.T.U. Theme Song,
Why we are here, by Associate
director; Talk, Mrs. Mary Buffkins.
Other numbers on the program
will come from the following
churches: Clark Street, True Light,
New Jersalem. New Hope, Morn
ing Star, Mt. Helem, Farish Street,
Old Strangers Home, College Hill,
New Hope, Mt. Calvery, New
Strangers Home, Pearlie Grove.
They get medals *nd wooden
[crosses; we buy War Bonds.
36th Annual Session Of State
Federation Clubs To Meet In
Jackson, November 2-3
Theme of Meet: “The Task Is Ours
-Face It.”
I
Negro Soldiers
Guard ‘Supermen’
In PW Camps
Headquarters, Advanced Section,
Communications Zone, France —
The myth of the great Nazi “Su
per” race is taking a beating every
day from a company of Negro sol
diers, who are guarding German
prisoners of war in an area which
the same Nazis once used as a con
centration camp. And to make mat
ters more ironical these soldiers
of color directed these same Nazis
to build their own stockades in the
camp, and clean up the debris left
by their efforts to escape the fly
ing drives of the First and Third
Armies.
This is what a U. S. Army cor- I
respondent found when he visited
the former German concentration I
camp, where members of a quarter- j
master service company, which I
landed in England back in 1942,
were walking guard over Nazi
PWs, who total about 4.000.
All over the well built camp
which was built years ago by the
French as a holding place for
“internees,.” could be seen piles
of German material which the
Jerrie had to leave behind in ser
viceable condition in their hasty
exit from the area.
JLD 111 iU 11 It, UJy SU11U LiUXiatX UUXUiX,
strong points built by the Germans
for their own defense, with the su
ual complement of three-foot thick
concrete walls and gun emplace
ments, were scattered all over the
place, but offered little resistance
to the hard driving forces of the
Allies.
At one place in the camp, Ger
mans were busily engaged in con
structing a high tower, on which
the Negro soldiers were to place
a .50 calibre machine gun, over
looking theg ates to a stockade. The
workers appeared to be satisfied
with their lot.
One prisoner, an infantryman,
had been with the Nazi drive which
had carried all the wray to the gates
of Moscow before it was hurled
back through the Ukraine. His unit
was subsequently ordered to the
French front. Exactly 24 hours af
ter his unit arrived at its post, the
Allied advance struck and he was
taken prisoner. The infantryman
told a U. S. army correspondent
that he was glad to be out of the
war. He said that when his outfit
was surrounded by U. S. tanks
there was no German armor in
sight,, and “there was so much Am
erican armor until the fight went
out of company and we quit.”
Everywhere could be seen dark
skinned U. S. soldiers, armed with
carbines, maintaining their vigil
over the Nazis. It was most ironi
cal, too, that at one Class I sup
ply area, the Nazis were busy load
ing convoys with rations to be tak
en direct to the front, to feed the
very men who were defeating their
UUII11 dues. 11 Wdij clll pdl l U1 1111.11
work, and as one U. S. soldier told
the correspondent; “So far we
haven’t had a bit of trouble with
them.”
The unit is commanded by First
Lieutenant Joseph Mayers, white,
of Narberth, Pa., who said that the
unit was, at times, short of men.
and that they often walked the
guard posts from 12 to 16 hours
during a tour.
Once, when guards were shot,
posts were taken over by the first
sergeant, the mess sergeant, the
supply sergeant, and the company
armorer.
They were: First Sergeant Lin
coln G. Pope, of 417 West 155th
street. New York City; Staff Ser
geant James G. Taylor, of 820
Taylor, of 820 Swann street, N.W..
Washington, D. C., Staff Sergeant
Lenoah Bettis, of Star Route, box
64, Maryville, La., and Technician
Fifth Grade Vanda J. Boutee, Sr.,
of New Orleans. La. Corporal Paul
L. Diggs, of Norfalk, Virginia, was
the company clerk.
But that “Superman” claim is a
shallow dream of the past, and the
Nazis have to swallow the bitter
pill of serving under the soldiers
whom they tried to belittle to the
citizen* of French towns.
Alcorn, Miss.—Mrs. M. M. Hu
bert, president of the Mississippi
State Federation of Colored Wo
men’s Clubs has just released a
tentative program for the 36th ; n
nual session to be held at the Cen
tral M. E. church, Jackson, Novem
ber 2 and 3. The theme of the
convention, says Mrs. Hubert is,
“The Task Is Ours—Face It,” hav
ing in our thinking the place of
club women in the post-war world
program.”
The executive board, of which
Mrs. L. T. Miller, Yazoo City, is
chairman will hold its meeting in
the forenoon of November 2. The
Junior Federation, sponsored by
Mrs. C. A. Hall, will hold an ora
torical contest November 3. The
subject of the orations will be
“How Can I, A Club Girl, Best
Serve My Community’s and My
Country’s Needs?” Cash prizes w'ill
be awarded the winners.
Reports on the Lawrence C.
Jones Essay Contest will be heard
at the federation. This contest pro
vides thirty dollars in cash prizes
to elementary and high school pu
pils who write on the subject” The
Value of a Recreation Center.” The
contest closes December 25.
Principal L. C. Jones of Piney
Woods sponsors the. contest to a
rouse interest in recreation as a ba
sic need for children and adults ,
and as a means of infoi’ming the
public of the recreation center at
Clinton, which is being developed
by the Mississippi State Federation
with the support of the Boy Scouts,
extension service, and other agen
cies.
rTub women form all over the
s^ie will attend the Jackson meet
ing. Other officers of the federa
tion includes: Mrs. M. J. Lyells,
*’corn, vice president; Mrs. G. .
Williams, Oakley, second vice pre
sident; Mrs. A. M. Re 'mond, Jack
son. secretary; Mrs. L. T. Ellis,
Laurel, assistant secretary; Mrs. E.
H. Strother, Vicksburg, correspond
ing secertary; Mrs. L. C. Jefferson.
Vicksburg, treasurer; Mrs. M. F.
Rowan. Alcorn, organizer; Mrs. M.
B. R. Warren, Vicksburg, chaplain;
Mrs. Nellie Bass, Piney Woods,
auditor; Mrs. A. W. Dumas, Sr., j
Natchez, parliamentarian; Mrs. T.
B. Coleman, Natchez, pianist; Mrs.
R. M. Tademy, co-dircctor of Jun
ior federation.
Selective Service
Helps To Wipe Out
State Illiteracy
18.150 men rejected for service in
the armed forces were interviewed
by selective service at the time of
rejection and 24 per cent, or 4,334.
lacked sufficient intelligence and
education to meet the standards for
acceptance, and who could be edu
cated by teaching them now.
These cases were interviewed
during the period of January "9,
to September 1, 1944. This num
ber was added to a pool of 30,000
men already known to be able to
be taught to the point of accept
ance. The army has accepted thous
ands of men who could meet the
requirements, but who could not
read and white, and have placed
them in special training units
where more than 80 per cent of
them were taught to the required
level. Prior to this plan, Mississip
pi through its literacy commission
taught several thousand who reach
ed the educational level sufficient
to meet the entrance requirements
ofthe armed forces.
Colonel L. W. Long, state director
of selective service, stated that with
the discovery of these facts, it
seemed on opportune time to de
velop a new plan for elimination
of illiteracy in Mississippi and at
least educate these men to the point
of being worth ag reat deal more to
themselves and their communities.
Returned “G.I. Joes” Get Jobs
More than 50,000 returned veter
ans of the present war were placed
in jobs during July by the Vetc •
ans Employment Service of the War
Manpower Commission, thus mak
ing a total of more than a half mil
lion who have been placed Em
ployers are offering veterans the
cream of the jobs that co. le within
their capacities, WMC says.
t