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[[newspaper clipping]] AIR FORCE INTEGRATION PLAN GIVEN O. K. CLEVELAND CALL and POST SATURDAY, MAY 21, 1949 BEGIN BREAKUP OF FAMED 332D FIGHTER GROUP By JOHN B. COMBS COLUMBUS – Jim Crow is about to fly out of the Army Air Corps. Colonel Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., Commanding Officer of the famed 332nd all-Negro fighter squadron at Lockbourne Army Air Base announced Tuesday morning that the unit would be dissolved and its personnel assigned to other units throughout the Air Corps for which they were found qualified. The youthful colonel told newsmen that screening of the 245 Negro officers and 1500 enlisted men at the base would begin at once. The first officers were interviewed Tuesday afternoon to ascertain their fitness for future assignments. First assignment of officers and men to previously all white units is expected to be announced not late than June 1. The integration policy, Col. Davis said, stemmed directly from the President's executive order No. 9981 setting forth an equal opportunity for all in the armed forces, and from the Faye Committee recommendation that the order be complied with. A few days ago Secretary of Defense Johnson asked for an implementation of the program. Three Classes Davis explained that the screening board would class the men in three categories, "the skilled, those in need of technical training, and those that do not have sufficient qualifications to go into technical training, or have not been at the base long enough to know their class. The skilled will be interviewed and assigned first. Then the second class is to be assigned to technical training and will be sent to schools. The third class will be given two tests to determine where they should be assigned. The Screening Board will report to the Pentagon with recommendations for assignments. Col. Davis said a great majority of the men (Continued on Page FIVE-A) [[/newspaper clipping]] [[/newspaper clipping]] Thursday, May 12, 1949 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Lockbourne Unit Abolished Under AF Racial Policy The all-Negro 332nd Fighter Wing of Lockbourne Air Force Base will be abolished and its personnel scattered throughout the USAF under a new non-segregation policy of the Air Force, it has been announced Thursday. Aim of the new policy, said Secretary of Defense Johnson, is to assure equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons, regardless of race, religion or national origin. While there was not announcement as to future plans for the Lockbourne base, it is anticipated some other regular Air Force unit will be stationed there. The base, one of the largest constructed in this nation during the war, is used also by National Guard Reserve units which are not expected to be affected by the new Air Force policy. The new policy stems from a directive of Johnson's on April 6 for all the armed forces to report their plans for ending racial (Continued on Page 4, Col. 2). Lockbourne Unit To Be Abolished (Continued from Page 1) discrimination in their respective branches. The policy provides for assignment of Negroes on the basis of individual capacity, but permits some separate Negro units, The Associated Press reported. Under the policy, members of the 332 Fighter Wing, commanded by Col. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., will be considered for reassignment "throughout the Air Force to training schools" in line with Air Force needs and their individual abilities, Johnson's announcement said. Col. Davis, highest ranking Negro officer in the Air Force and commander of the Lockbourne base since the all-Negro unit moved in March 15, 1946, was reported to be "definitely scheduled" to attend the Air University, Maxwell Field, Ala., and to be assigned after graduation to a post in the Air Force as any other colonel. The 332nd Fighter Squadron saw extensive service in Italy and Europe during World War II and won a presidential citation. Many of the officers and enlisted me of the base won decorations in the war. The Air Force's non-segregation policy is the only one among the branches of the armed forces to be approved so far. Johnson said he is asking the Army and Navy for "additional clarifying information" before making a decision on the proposals of those two branches. Present Negro strength in the Air Force is 21,026 - which is 7 per cent of the service's total personnel. Of the Negro personnel, 316 are officers, five are warrant officers and the remainder enlisted personnel. Johnson said the new policy is effective immediately and is to be in full operation "on or about Dec. 31." At the Lockbourne base, it was anticipated the inactivation and distribution of personnel will be completed quickly. Col. Davis was not available for comment. He was at Las Vegas, Nev., Monday night for completion of an Air Force gunnery meet in which his unit competed. LOCKBOURNE MAN KILLED IN NEVADA PLANE CRASH S/Sgt. Kenneth Austin, 22, a flight chief at Lockbourne Air Base was killed Wednesday when an F82 crashed during a rocket-firing event at Las Vegas, Nev. Also killed in the crash was the pilot of the ship who was assigned to a unit in Nebraska, Lockbourne officials said. Austin, an airplane and engine mechanic, was assigned to Las Vegas for ground crew experience in the air last April 23. The sergeant entered the Air Force in November, 1945, and was assigned to Lockbourne in April, 1946. His home was in Jamaica, N. Y. [[/newspaper clipping]] [[newspaper clipping]] The Columbus Citizen SATURDAY, MAY 28, 1949 Lockbourne Placed On Stand-by List Lockbourne Air Force Base has been ordered on a "stand-by" basis by Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenburg, chief of the Air Force. The order came through in a public information directive by telephone to Col. B. O. Davis, commander of the 332nd Fighter Wing. The 332nd is being disbanded under a new armed services policy to distribute Negroes throughout the armed forces. Col. Davis would make no speculation on the meaning of the order. The directive left future status of the base in doubt. It officially confirmed the disbanding of the fighter wing, and said all units are to be out by the end of June. The base will not be used, the directive said, for any of the 48 Air Force units now in operation. The order said only a minimum number of personnel will be kept to maintain the base. "A minimum number of caretake personnel will remain at Lockbourne," the directive said, "to maintain the base on a stand-by basis in the event it should be required for some future program. The base is not included in the plans for the 48-group Air Force." The 332nd Fighter Wing consisted of 2000 officers and enlisted men. There are 200 civilian employes at the base. Question of what happens to the civilian employes is unanswered. [[/newspaper clipping]] [[newspaper clipping]] LOCKBOURNE RATED STAND-BY BASE Caretaker Personnel To Remain Fighter Wing Shipments Set In Next Week By JAMES H. SPECKMAN Lockbourne Air Force Base late yesterday was placed by the USAF on a "stand-by" operational basis with a minimum number of maintenance personnel. The order was interpreted there as meaning the huge field, built during the war, will not receive a new Air Force unit to replace the 332nd Fighter Wing which is being inactivated, and that for the first time it will be without a regular Air Force outfit. It was expected that nearly all the 200 civilian personnel at Lockbourne would be discontinued. The directive to Lockbourne came from the Public Information Office at USAF headquarters, Washington, as a part of data on the integration of Negro personnel of the Fighter Wing into all units of the USAF. It stated that a "minimum number of caretaker personnel to maintain the base on a stand-by status" would be required and that Lockbourne would remain in that status "in the event the base should be required in some future program." Lockbourne, the directive said, was not included in present plans of the USAF to maintain Air Force strength at 48 groups, the maximum for the fiscal year ending June 30. When inactivation of the 332nd Fighter Wing was announced, it was anticipated at that time a new, comparable outfit would move into Lockbourne. First large shipments of personnel from the Fighter Wing to new assignments will start next week. It was expected that Air National Guard will continue to operate at Lockbourne, perhaps with increased facilities. The Guard has its own ground force pesonnel. [[/newspaper clipping]] [[newspaper clipping]] THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Saturday, May 28, 1949 Lockbourne Air Base To Be Virtually Abandoned Hopes for a comparable unit to replace the 332nd Fighter Wing which is being deactivated at Lockbourne Air Forces Base apparently have gone glimmering with announcement by the USAF that the post is to be placed on a "stand-by" operational basis. The directive, which reached Lockbourne officials late Friday, was interpreted as meaning the huge field, built during the war, will be virtually abandoned by the Air Force. It was expected employment of nearly all the 200 civilian personnel at the base would be discontinued. The order to Lockbourne came from the Public Information Office at USAF headquarters, Washington, as part of data on the integration of Negro personnel of the Fighter Wing into all units of the USAF. "A minimum number of caretaker personnel to maintain the base on a stand-by status," the directive stated, would be required and that Lockbourne would remain in that status "in the event the base should be required in some future program." According to the order Lockbourne is not included in present plans of the USAF to maintain Air Force strength at 48 groups, the maximum for the fiscal year ending June 30. First large shipments of personnel from the 332nd Fighter Wing to new assignments will start next week. It is expected the Air National Guard will continue to operate at Lockbourne, perhaps with increased facilities. [[/newspaper clipping]] [[newspaper clipping]] OHIO STATE JOURNAL Thurs., May 12, 1949 Lockbourne Loses All-Negro Air Unit AF New Non-Segregation Policy Dictates Early Shifting of 2000 By JAMES H. SPECKMAN Lockbourne Air Force Base will lose its crack, all-Negro, 332nd Fighter Wing, which will be broken up and its personnel scattered throughout the USAF. This will be the first step under a new policy, announced yesterday by Secretary of Defense Johnson, of distributing Negroes throughout the Air Force instead of concentrating them in special units. Sources close to Lockbourne last night said the inactivation of the unit and redistribution of personnel, close to 2000, is expected to be done quickly. Future plans for the base are indefinite, but it is anticipated some other Regular Air Force unit will be stationed there. Johnson's announcement, reported by The Associated Press, said the air of the new policy is to assure equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons, regardless of race, religion or national origin. It provides for assignment of Negroes on the basis of individual capacity. Members of the 332nd Fighter Wing, commanded by Col. Benjamin O. Davis, jr. will be considered for reassignment "throughtout the AirForce and to training schools" in line with Air Force needs and their individual abilities, the announcement said. Col. Davis, highest ranking Negro Air Force officer, last night was at Los Vegas, Nev., for completion of an Air Force gunnery meet in which his unit competed. The colonel was reported to be "definitely scheduled" to attend the Air University Maxwell Field, Ala., and to be assigned after graduation to a post in the Air Force as any other colonel. TO BREAK UP 332ND His headquarters last night received only telephone confirmation of the announcement by Secretary Johnson. There was nothing to indicate the effective date of reassignments. The move will break up an all-Negro fighter squadron, the 332nd, which saw extensive service in Italy and Europe during World War II and won a presidential citation. It was part of a composite group, fighter and bomber, which moved into Lockbourne AFB on Mar. 15, 1946. While the designation and composition of the unit was (Continued on Page 2, Col. 7) LOCKBOURNE WILL LOSE ALL-NEGRO WING OF 2000 (Continued From Page One) changed, except for personnel, to a fighter group, then a wing, Col. Davis has been its only commanding officer here. Many of the officers and enlisted men won decorations in the war. The Lockbourne base, one of the largest in the nation constructed during the war, also is used by National Guard and Reserve Air units. It is not expected, it was said last night, that these units will be affected by the new Air Force policy. The Air Force policy stems from Johnson's directive Apr. 6 for all the armed forces to report their plans for ending racial discrimination in their respective branches. Johnson's announcement yesterday that while he approved the Air Force's suggestions he was asking the Army and Navy for "additional clarifying information" before making a decision on their proposals. Although the new Air Force policy calls for assignment and advancement of Negro members on an individual basis it still will permit some separate Negro units. Present Negro strength in the Air Force is 21,026–which is 7 per cent of the service's total Figure. Of that number 316 are officers, five are warrant officers and the remainder enlisted personnel. Johnson said the policy is effective immediately and is to be in full operation "on or about Dec. 31, 1949. [[/newspaper clipping]]
