ralion, so yo u're all Seabees," they were rold. (The ni ckname Seabus is derived from the initial leners C and B of Construction &malion.) True ro their calling, Howard and the other young Seabees learned to build bridges, ai rstrips, piers, ammunition magazines, warehouses, hospitals, and roads. They also received assault training supplemcnral ro their primary duey of building. Sea bee Howard regularly wenr ro chapel , cominuing a life- lon g habit of arccnding church. He liked ro describe himself as a "church man," fo r after all, hi s father was a Baptisr preacher. At chapel that first Su nday, Howard noriced that the chapl ain had no pulpit, bur only a rabie, to use during [he wo rsh ip service, so he spem his spare time the next week foraging for materials and building a lectern so th ar the minister would have a place ro rest his Bible. Without a word, Howard placed it in the chapel. At the next chu rch service, the delighted chaplain insisted that the builder identify himself, and a reluctant George Howard raised his hand . The chaplain was so impressed with H owa rd 's initiative that he asked him to be his assistanr. "Can yo u eype?" In fact, he could nor. Undeterred, th e chaplain offered ro teach him , and Howard happily transferred ro [he chapl ain's command where he eyped leners ro fa mily members of servicemen. After basic training, [he Seabees were sent to Gulfport. Mississippi, for advanced training. Rumor had it that mey would soon be deployed overseas-maybe to Europe, maybe ro Africa. But fate intervened. The second Sunday in Gulfport. after chapel. [he Seabees ga[hered for lunchmostly whites at [he front of the line, mostly blacks at the back. They were served steaks that day. However, the kitchen apparently ran o ut of steaks and began to substitute chicken. Beca use mosr of the black Sea bees were at the end of the lin e, they wound up with chicken instead of steak. One black Seabee began [Q complain loudly. The protest escalated imo a scuffle. The nex t day, the co mm and er of Howard's group called all of the black Seabees to a meering. Once the black troops were assembled. the com mander announced that they we re all ro be disparched back (0 Virginia immediately. When asked why, he responded: "The problem that we had yesrerday ca nnot be tolerated. We are in a war. We will be go ing ove rseas, and we don't want any problems. So, get packed. You're go ing back to Virginia." After [he meetin g.
Howard went straightaway to the co mman - imporranr package. He made the difficulr der's office. He asked to sray with hi s group journey alone, never stopping along the way, in Mississippi. bur the requesr was summar- and successfully completed his mission. ily denied. All black Seabees. including Looking back, he believes thar the mission Howard, were rerurned (0 Virginia to form was a test of sorts, another test he passed the newly crea red 2 1St Special Seabees unit. with disrinction. It was composed almost entirely of black Two days later, the com mander assemSea bees, with the exception of a few whites bled the troops to ann ounce thar Japan had who worked in headquarters and as techni - surrendered. Unbrid led joy. relief, and cians. After it was organized. rhe group was rhanks fill ed rhe rool11 co the rafters. An airsem ro Califo rnia fo r advanced trajning. craft carrier, the USS Horen, was co nverted They [hen boarded a ship headed [Q [he ro a troop ship to rerum [he weary Seabees South Pacific. ro their ho mes across rh e waters. Howa rd 's Three days inro the journ ey to (he group was assigned ro an area on the iliird Admiralty Islands, the ship encountered a level of rhe ship. All were using [he same violem Storm. To make the perilous circum- washroom, whites and blacks alike. All ate srallce worse yet. :I Japanese sub marine was in the same mess hall. On the third day out, trailing the sh ip, requ iring the ship to make however. when Howard rose early and evas ive maneuvers while rryi ng to survi ve walked to rh e washroom. he was met by an the roiling waters of the Pacific. Seabee armed guard posted at the washroom door. Howard drew on his faith co get through the The guard warned How::.rd nor to en ter. A new order had relegated black Seabees [Q the terrifying night. Once in the Admiralty Islands. Howard use of only certai n black-only washrooms. Howard re(ll med ro his area, awakened was assigned to a nava l su pply area where he worked supplying [he Navy wi[h medical his friends, and cold them of the disturbing suppl ies, food. ammunition, weapons, development. H e had al ready begun to forclothing. and whatever else was needed. H e mulate a plan. "Let's select a committee and helped build warehouses and roads as well. register a co mplaint with the officers." Bur Even though Howa rd had lost his men- even his good friend balked. "No. I haven't ror, the chaplain, in the overnight reassign- seen my wife in years, and I don't want to be ment of the black Sea bees from Mississippi accused of sra rtin g a riot, or risk receiving a ro Virginia. his energy and dete rmination dishonorable discharge." Others agreed, were noticed again, this time by a lieurenanr fearing that this might be an attempt to get on the Is land of Manus. Th ro ugh the imer- them all discharged dishonorably. Not a sinvention of the li eutenant. Seabee H oward gle person stepped forward to go wi th him. was given the op portuniey ro take an exam Howard was stunned by me response. but to become a coxswai n, in charge of a small decided ro press on alone. H e returned, by craft delivering messages and transporting himself, to rhe armed guard and asked officers from ship ro ship for meetings. True whe re to find the officer of the day. Predic[ably. [he office r of [he day was busy to form, he passed the exam with Aying colwhen Howa rd ar ri ved, and he was instructors, scoring 100%. The next Stop for Coxswain Howard was ed to sit and wa ir. For two hours he waited. Subic Bay, Philippines, for a co urse in self When rhe officer fin ally received him, defense. Rumo rs circulared that rhis group was to be a part of rhe Bill Wilson is a United inirial invasion of the island of States District Judge for [he Japan, and the course was meant Eastern District of Arkansas ro prepare the builders ro fight. Tears were shed and prayers se nt up. but they all had dedicated their lives ro defending (heir country. and they all willingly followed orders. They boarded the ship and set sail for the Philippines. Beth Deere is a lawyer with Coxwain H oward was aga in Williams & Anderson PLC, si ngled our for a special assignLittle Rock. Arkansas menr. He was ordered ro drive a Jeep to Manila to deliver an
Vol. 42 No. l!Winler 2007
TIle Ark.,,,as La"yer
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