Kitzingen KTC |
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Dear Sir: I am a 73 year old
retired US Army Sergeant and an Afro-American. Three years ago, I acquired
a personal computer. Almost immediately, I began to write fictional
short stories based on my lifetime experiences. I made no attempt to
publish anything. The enjoyment of writing of people and places in my
past inspired me to try and create a written documentary of the place
and time of my first permanent assignment in the Army. Now…..50 years later…..I have come to know the significance of that training center we called KTC. I am now acutely aware KTC’s involvement in the US Army's planned racial integration. I can now look back with pride at my duty assignment and the other activities at KTC so grandly performed by a very fine group of men and women, who had little or no knowledge of the goal they were working to achieve. I know now that it is a story that needs to be told. To tell it accurately will require documented information and personal interviews for confirmation of my stated facts. I began a research
effort and was appalled to find no record of KTC’s existence nor any
reference to its assigned mission. No US army records and no authored
books refer to KTC. I can recall being
told, back in 1948, that the main objective of KTC was twofold. The
first objective was to provide “refresher” basic training for all black
units throughout the Army's European Command. The second was to provide
On-Duty Educational Development courses to the above mentioned units.
The units were black Trucking and Combat Engineer Battalions, and black
Infantry Units of varying sizes. They were officially ordered to KTC
on temporary duty to participate in both parts of the compulsory program
described above. The entire center was organized to support the above
programs including housing, feeding, medical and recreational facilities.
It should be easy for you to imagine the large number of quality personnel
required for that support. As an athlete, I was
privileged to travel to many of the white bases in West Germany when
KTC competed against their teams. Never once did I see white soldiers
being required to take basic training all over again nor did I see compulsory
on-duty educational instruction being given. I must therefore conclude
that KTC and the US Army program implemented there existed solely for
upgrading of the military skills and academic knowledge of Afro-American
GIs in West Germany exclusively. KTC began the program more than three
years before the US Army ordered full racial integration. I write this letter
to you to make you aware of my project. I also write with hope that
you will come to consider it worthy of presentation to the readers of
your very fine newspaper. Yours truly, Cleveland J. Freamon Sfc., US Army, (Ret) |
| 7871 Training & Education Group 1949 On Parade |
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Headquarters Company Passing In Review |
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