OT: Hollywood and "SIR!"

[Bill Palmer]

During the time it existed in the U S Navy, the Steward (responsible for
preparing wardroom meals and maintaining officer's staterooms) rating
(professional specialty) was exclusively non-Caucasian.  The armed forces
were theoretically integrated in 1948, but the vast majority of black
enlistees were still channeled into that rating.  By that time, the Navy had
opened up to Filipinos also, and they were also given no choice other than
Steward, until the mid-1960's. The Steward rating was disestablished in
1974, as was the old Commissaryman (ship's cook..."stewburner" or
"bellyrobber") and those personnel became Mess Management Specialists, who
could be assigned duties in the general mess (enlisted), or the wardroom
(officers).


Bill Palmer

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Wilton" <dave at WILTON.NET>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 12:02 PM
Subject: Re: OT: Hollywood and "SIR!"


> ---------------------- Information from the mail
> header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Dave Wilton <dave at WILTON.NET>
> Subject:      Re: OT:  Hollywood and "SIR!"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> The policy of integration in the Marine Corps was promulgated on 13
> December
> 1951. Within a year, more than 5% of the Corps was African-American.
>
> Prior to 1951, blacks did serve in the Corps, but in relatively few
> numbers.
> There had been some segregated units since 1942 and, like the in Navy,
> they
> could always serve as stewards. During WWII, some tens of thousands of
> black
> Marines served in segregated units.
>
> See http://www.history.army.mil/books/integration/IAF-18.htm
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
> Of
> Joel S. Berson
> Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 8:09 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: OT: Hollywood and "SIR!"
>
> At 10/21/2009 06:20 AM, Bill Palmer wrote:
>>NCO's are not saluted in the USMC. The second (or maybe it's the third)
>>general order for a sentry is "to salute all officers and all colors not
>>cased"
>
> When did the USMC admit the colored to its service?
>
> Joel
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org