Bethune, Dr. Mary McLeod, 7–8
Big Bill. See Blackford, William M.
Birmingham, HMS, 78
Birth of a Nation, 7
Bishop Rock, 2, 111
Blackford, Charles, 56
Blackford, Dr. L. Minor, 56
Blackford, Dr. Mansel, 57
Blackford, Jane, 46
Blackford, John Minor, 56–57
Blackford, Lancelot Minor, 56
Blackford, Mary Berkeley Minor, 56
Blackford, William M., 4, 45–46, 53; background, 55–57; capability as seaman, 106, 142–43; and commissioning anniversary, 141; and commissioning of the Mason, 61–63; as leader, 86–87; Lind credits seamanship of, 111–12; maiden voyage on board the Mason, 75–98; message commending crew, 109; mission becomes offensive, 96–97; and promotion policies, 119–20, 121; seniority of captain questioned, 3, 114–15; transfer to Great Lakes, 152
“Black Gang,” 2, 17
Black Officers Association, 177
Black Sailors Association, 173
Blacks and the Military in American History: A New Perspective, 6
Blacks, history of their military service, 6–8, 134, 169–73, 181
Black Students Association, 173
Bland, William H., III, 92–93
Blue Jay, 37, 42
Boot camp, 23–34
Boston Navy Yard, 63
Boston Section Base, East, 41–42
Brooklyn Navy Yard, 137, 150
Buchanan, Barbara. See Graham, Barbara Buchanan
Buchanan, Gordon, 2, 10–11, 98, 130–35, 137, 150; after WWII, 166–67; background, 11–13; builds model airplanes, ships, 12; on crew of the Mason, 64; in Mers el-Kébir, 144; and music on board ship, 163; navigating convoy NY-119, 111; in Northern Ireland, 92–93; on patrol boat, 36–37, 42–43; and quartermaster school, 28; as recognitions officer, 78–79; and Saint Elmo’s fire, 89–90; with scarlet fever, 48; at sea, 78, 149; selected for the Mason, 45; as signalman, 3, 43, 145
Bud Billiken Day Parade, 30
Bureau of Naval Personnel: and chain of command, 121–22; Historical Section, 181; observation of the Mason, 67–68; orders, 65; report, 35–36, 43, 152
Caine Mutiny, The, 163
Camp Robert Smalls, 9, 23; naming of, 26. See also Boot camp; Peters, Merwin; Racial segregation
Camp Shelby, Mississippi, 20–21
Cape May, New Jersey, Naval Air Base, 37–38
Carlisle, the, 30
CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps), 16
Charleston Navy Yard, 163
Chase (DE-16), 101, 127
Chesapeake Bay ferry, 70
Chicago Defender, 143
Christmas, celebrated on board ship, 126
Churchill, Winston, 4
Club De Lys: in Chicago, 30; in New York, 100
CNN (Cable News Network), 175–76
Coast Guard Auxiliary, 173
Code breaking, 42
Cole, Nat King, 149
Collins, Lorenzo L., 188
Commendation, letters of, 4, 100, 116–17
Commissioning Week, at U.S. Naval Academy, 177–79
Convoy CK-3, 77–90
Convoy NY-119, 99–118; separation of, 108, 113–14
Convoys: collisions and, 80–81; speeds of, 79–80
Convoy UGS-64, 126
Cook, Big, 69, 82
Court Martial Board, Summary, 57
Craig, Cassin, 126, 130, 142; and gambling, 146; on Meyer, 155–56, 162
Craig, R. W., 90
Croix de Guerre, 8
C.T.G. (Commander Task Group) 27.5, 3, 77, 95; recommends commendation, 4, 100, 116–17
Davis, Dr. Martin, 169, 176
D-Day invasion, 86; the Mason escorts troop ships for, 59
DE-577, 156
Dead reckoning, 111
De Cuir, Manuel B., 146–47
Depth charges, 53, 132–33, 161
DESA (Destroyer Escort Sailors Association), 169, 176
Destroyer Escort Day, 176
Destroyer escorts, 52–53; expectations of, 1–2, 4–5, 76. See also Mason, USS
Dillon, Charles M., 65, 122
Dinkins, David, 175
Divers, Charles, 2, 67, 81–82, 101–2, 133–36, 140; background, 15–16; on Blackford, 164–65; and convoy NY-119, 106; and history of the Mason, 170; on the Mason, 150; in Mers el-Kébir, 144; on Meyer, 155–56, 160, 164–65; and music on board ship, 163; as quartermaster, 42, 86–87; and racial discrimination, 37–38, 46–47; and seventy-degree roll, 113; and TBS, 77–78
Documentaries, WWII, 169
Draft, for military service, 11, 16–17, 20–21
DuFau, Lorenzo, 2, 3, 40, 101, 129; background, 13–14; on Blackford, 54–55, 119–20, 152; on British refusal to assist, 114–15; at Camp Smalls, 23–24, 26–27; in Chicago, 30; on commissioning of the Mason, 63–64; on convoy NY-119, 102–3, 106–7, 112–13, 115; on discipline, 122–23; and history of the Mason, 170–71; and integration, 72–73; on the Mason as experiment, 50, 65–66, 68; on Meyer, 165; on morale, 126; in Northern Ireland, 91–93; on patriotism, 29–30, 167–68; in Plymouth, England, 117; at sea, 77, 80, 84, 85, 146–47; and TBS, 104; at U.S. Naval Academy Commissioning Week ceremonies, 177–79; in Winnetka, Illinois, 32
DuFau, Terry, 177–79
Eberle (DD-430), 127
Eleanor and Franklin, 8
Eleanor’s Folly, 65
El Passo, 142
Enlistment, open for blacks, 9, 13, 17
Eugene, 142
Evaporator, 66, 122–23
Evert class, 52
Experiment: black enlistment as, 27; the Mason as, 50, 123–24
Falmouth, England, 112–14
Farrell, William H., 57–58, 59–60, 132–33; on Blackford’s seamanship, 143; and black gunners, 97; and convoy CK-3, 83, 84–85; and convoy NY-119, 106–8, 110, 115; and crew of the Mason, 155, 159; and emergency repairs, 136; and general quarters, 86; and mascot Horace, 147–49; as recreation officer, 63, 143; and shakedown, 66–67
Fields (valet to President Roosevelt), 24–25
Filipino recruitment, 181
Flamingo, USS, 42
Foner, Jack, 6
Ford, John, 141
Forester, C. S., 75
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 161–62
Garrison, Benjamin, 2, 64–65, 79–80, 84; after WWII, 171–72; background, 17–18; becomes radioman, 47; in Boston, 41–42; at Camp Smalls, 26; in Chicago, 30; and convoy duty, 84, 102; and convoy NY-119, 103–4, 105, 106; and general quarters, 87, 130; in Norfolk, 70; in Northern Ireland, 93; and professionalism, 73–74, 120; and quartermaster school, 28–29; and racial prejudice, 32, 66; at sea, 146–47; and submarine runs, 139–40; and teamwork, 69
Gaston, Mac, 32–34, 36
German code, 82–83, 129
Gibson, Charles Dana, 100, 169
Golden Thirteen, The, 153–54, 160, 164
Good Shepherd, The, 75–76
Gordon, Arnold, 2; background, 18–19; as black, 19, 70, 172; in Norfolk, 47; as sonar man, 39–40, 79, 130–33; as white, 70–71
GQ (general quarters) alarm, 86–89
Grady, Captain, 61, 63
Graham, Barbara Buchanan, 97–98, 150–51, 176–77, 179
Graham, James W., 2, 60, 67, 126; after WWII, 168–70; background, 10–11; in Boston, 58; at Camp Smalls, 26; at Cape May, 37; and changing tradition, 119–20; in Chicago, 30; and commendation letter, 116; on commissioning of the Mason, 63–64; and convoy CK-3, 85–87; and convoy NY-119, 102, 106–7; courts Barbara Buchanan, 97–98; at end of WWII, 145, 150–51; and gambling, 146–47; in Norfolk, 45–46, 48–49; and racial solidarity, 38–39, 141; and racial tension, 31–32; and radio shack, 82, 101, 149; transferred to the Mason, 44; and U-boats, 129–30, 173–74; at U.S. Naval Academy Commissioning Week ceremonies, 177–79
Grant, Melvin J., 1, 65, 79, 117–18, 166; background, 19–21; in Northern Ireland, 92
Gravely,
Samuel, 52–53
Great Lakes, Illinois, Naval Training Center, 9, 23–24, 32–33
“Great White Fleet,” 7
Griffith, D. W., 7
Gulfport (PF-20), 127, 130, 140
Guns, 53
Hair, James, 153, 159–60, 161, 165; at Charleston Navy Yard officers club, 163–64
Hamilton, Bermuda, 137
Hampton, Lionel, 163
Hampton Institute, 40
Hayter, USS, 69
Hedgehogs, 53, 132
Holder, USS, 139
Home Away from Home: The Yanks in Ireland, 175
Horace (the dog), 147–49
Home, Lena, 31
Inspections, 140–41
Integration of the Armed Forces 1940–1965, 122n
Intrepid, USS, Sea-Air-Space Museum, 176
Iowa, USS, 172
Ireland, 90–95, 175
Jacksonville, sunk, 100
Jews, in Germany, 13–14
Job opportunities, for blacks, 14–15
Journal and Guide of Norfolk, 75
Joyner, Dr. Marjorie Stewart, 7–8, 31
Kelly, Ed, 31
Kelso, Frank, 178
Kendall, Eugene, 36, 177
Kitts, William W., 58
Knox, Frank, 62
Lansdale, USS (DD-426), 139
Lash, Joseph, 8
Legget, Billy, 25–26
Lincoln, Abraham, 7, 152
Lind, Alfred L., 2, 4; and convoy NY-119, 99–100, 103, 105, 111–12, 114; recommends a letter of commendation for the Mason and her crew, 116
Livermore (DD-429), 127
Londonderry, Ireland, 93
Lookouts, 80–81
Louis, Joe, 31
Louis, Marva, 31
Louisiana Weekly, The, 14
LT-63, 109
LT-492, 103, 104
LT-653, 3, 114
Lynch, Thomas, 177–78
McCabe, Frank, 139
McCain, John, 178–79
McClatchy, Marvin, 123
McClatchy, Sally Bruce Blackford, 123
McCook, 141
MacGregor, Morris, 181
MacGregor, Morris, Jr., 122
MacIntosh, Clarence (“John”), 153, 163–64
Mason, David N., 52
Mason, Mrs. David N., 52, 60–61
Mason, Newton Henry, 52, 60, 62–63
Mason Association, USS, 154, 175
Mason, USS (DE-529), 9, 59; and Battle of the Atlantic, 4; celebrates New Year 1945, 127–29; commendation of, 4; commissioned, 60–64; and convoy NY-119, 99–118; crew of, 50, 62, 68–69, 76–77, 152–54; damaged, 133–35; decommissioned, 163; discipline on, 122–23; as experiment, 10, 50, 65–66; and history books, 169–70; integration on, 124–26; layout of, 66–67, 84–85; liberty granted to crew, 68, 91–93, 143–44; and mail delivery, 142; mission determined, 44, 53–54
Matteson, George, 99
Maumee (AO-2), 1, 101, 106, 109
Menges, USS (DE-320), 139
Merchant marines, 82
Mers el-Kébir, Algeria, 138, 140, 142–43
Meyer, Norman, 152, 161; background, 153–55; and leadership on the Mason, 157–59; and literacy of crew, 155–56; seamanship of, 154, 156–57; and shirttails, 162–63
Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, 56
Moran, Eugene, 99
Morse code, 27, 47
Motley, Dan, 51
Mount Whitney, USS (LCC-20), 177
Music, on board ship, 163
Myrdal, Gunnar, 155
NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), 7, 61, 182
Naval Academy, U.S.: Commissioning Week at, 171, 177–79; Nimitz Library, 181
Navigational Information, Office of, 42
Navy Courts and Board, 57
Navy, Greek, 176
Navy, U.S., 7
Negro in the Navy, The, 8n, 181–84
Negro Sailor, The, 141
Negro Soldier, The, 141
New York City, 40, 98, 150
New York Times, the, 60
Ninety-Ninth Pursuit Squadron, 65
Norfolk, Virginia, 45–46, 47–48
Ocean, phenomena, 76–77, 89–90
Oil king, 17, 106
O’Neill, Sadie, 93
“Ordeal of Convoy 119, The,” 100
O’Toole, USS (DE-527), 101, 104, 109, 127, 130–32, 142
Patriotism, 6–7, 12–15, 159–60
Patterson (Graham’s friend), 44
PC-1264, 52–53
Pepsi Cola, machine on board ship, 126
Peters, Merwin, 2, 27, 131–33, 172–73; background, 16; at Camp Smalls, 24, 72–73; and convoy NY-119, 108, 110; and German code, 82–83, 129; in Northern Ireland, 92; and recognition for achievement, 50–51
Phillips, John G., 90, 158, 161
Phoebe, USS, 55
Pillsbury, USS, 96
Pit (pitometer) log, 132–33, 135
Pitts, W. W., 127–28
Planter, 6
Plymouth, England, 2, 91, 116
Polk, George, 54
Port Chicago Mutiny, The, 40n
Powell, Adam Clayton, Jr., 7, 17
Powell, Colin, 36
Powers, USS (DE-45), 78, 97, 104, 127, 130, 141–42; and human cry overboard, 140; separation of convoy NY-119, 112
Pretext, HMS, 2–3, 110, 112, 114
Puffin (MC-29), 42
Queeg, Captain, 163
Queen Mary, 1
Racial categorization, 19, 70, 160
Racial discrimination, 12; in Atlanta, 29–30; in Bermuda, 92; lack of, in Northern Ireland, 91–95; in New Jersey, 37–38; in Norfolk, 45–47, 49–50, 70; and selection process, 50–51; in U.S. Navy, 9, 12–13, 35–36, 182
Racial disturbances, 10, 58–59, 118, 151
Racial prejudice, 29, 44; bitterness of, 31–32; and the Mason’s, chief radioman, 73, 119–21; in Michigan, 19; in U.S. Navy, 151–52, 182–83
Racial segregation: in the armed services, 7–10; at Great Lakes, 19, 23, 25–26; in officers club, 163–64; on public transportation, 15; in South Carolina, 18; in USO, 4, 31, 117–18; in Washington, D.C., 25
Racial stereotyping, 7–9, 23–24, 46
Radar, 28, 53, 76, 110
Radioman, chief, 73, 119–21
Randolph, A. Philip, 7
Ratings: achieving, 27–29; advancing in, 119, 121; among the Mason’s crew, 35; and new technologies, 39–40
“Ready Gun,” 130
Red Cross, 72–73, 117
Red-dog, 83, 133
Reddy, H. C., 94
Rescues at sea, 140
Resentment, Negro, 43–44, 50–51
Roberts, Winfrey, 127, 151; background, 21–22; at Camp Smalls, 24–25; in Norfolk, 40–41
Robinson, Charles, 179
Robinson, David, 179
Rochester, HMS, 3, 114, 116
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 8, 17, 65, 182
Roosevelt, Franklin, 8, 20, 54
Ross, Ed O., 59, 83, 86; navigating, 111, 158, 162
Royal, Jeff, 177
Saint Elmo’s fire, 89–90
Saladin, HMS, 3, 114, 116
Sally Bruce, 55
Saltonstall, Governor (of Massachusetts), 61
Saucy, USS, 154
Sea readiness, 33
Seasickness, 37, 70
Selective Service and Training Act of 1940, 182
Serviceman’s Center Number Three, 31
Service school, 24, 27–28, 33–34
Shakedown, 66–74
Ship decks: cracks in, 3, 100, 113; during North Atlantic storms, 103–4
Shipmate, 153
Ship’s band, 58, 143
Slater, USS, 176–77
Small’s Paradise, 100
Smalls, Robert, 6
Small tugs sunk, 104, 111–12
SOL (Statue of Liberty) DESA, 169, 176
Sonar, 53, 76, 79, 132, 135; contacts made using, 129–31, 162
Speyer Allen, USS, 40
Steady Eddie. See Farrell, William H.
Steele, Julian D., 61
Stern, USS, 90, 95, 97
Stevenson, Adlai, 182
Stillwell, Paul, 153
Stimson, Henry L., 8
“Tan Yankees,” 93
TBS (talk between ships) transmissions, 1, 77–78, 109–10, 131
368th Infantry, 8
369th Regiment, 8
Tobin, Mayor (of Boston), 61
Training and Control Division, 183
Truman, Harry S, 72
Tuskeegee Airmen, 65
U-248, 139
U-371, 139
U-482, 100
U-505, 96, 137
U-866, 139
U-boats, 52–53, 86; dominating Atlantic, 4; in port in the Azores, 81–83; radar-intercept equipped, 100; in Straits of Gibraltar, 129
Union Pacific Railroad, 19–20
USO, 4, 31, 117–18
Viet Nam veterans, 175–76
Virginia, University of, 57
Vortice, SS, 69
War Manpower Commission, 183
Washington, Dinah, 163
Watkins, Albert, 2, 79, 81–82, 129–30, 144–45, 173; after sonar contact, 133–34, 136–37; background, 16–17; at Camp Smalls, 28; at end of WWII, 150; on Meyer’s seamanship, 156, 160; in Northern Ireland, 93; oil king, 69–70, 105–6; and racial prejudice, 118, 164; seasick, 105–6; and segregation, 71–72
WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service), 44
White, Mozell, 144
White, Walter, 7, 8
Wilson, Woodrow, 7
Wolf packs, German, 81–82
Woods, Big, 82
“Yanks,” 93
Young, Thomas W., 75, 87–89, 94–95, 96–97, 98, 124–26
About the Author
Mary Pat Kelly is an award-winning author and filmmaker whose unique background combines academic achievement, popular entertainment, and public service. She received her doctorate in English—with a concentration in film and Irish literature—from the City University of New York Graduate School in 1982. She has taught at Brooklyn College and City College and guest lectured at numerous other colleges, including Williams and the U.S. Military Academy.
Dr. Kelly’s film credits include screenwriting for both Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures, as well as writing and producing for such popular television shows as The Dick Cavett Show, Good Morning America, and Saturday Night Live. Her documentary for Public Television To Live for Ireland (1987) was nominated for an Emmy and won the special jury award at the San Francisco Film Festival. The author’s first published book, Martin Scorsese: A Journey (1991), was a critical and commercial success in the United States and on the best-seller list in Britain.