Elizabeth Davis
Special to Boonville Daily News
On Jan. 13, 1997, President Bill Clinton had the honor of presenting seven Medals of Honor, six posthumously, to African American heroes of World War II.
During World War II, 433 men were awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration for valor in combat. None of them were African American.
In 1993, the US Army commissioned an investigation into racial discrimination in the awarding of medals. It was recommended that ten black World War II veterans be awarded the Medal of Honor. Seven of them were approved, including one for Private First Class Willy James Jr. who was born in Kansas City.
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Twenty-eight Fort Hood service members have died since January. That includes five homicides, eight suicides, and four deaths that are still being investigated. Rumors and hearsay have swirled. Many have looked at the upper echelons of leadership for answers, closure, and, more importantly, a solid plan to stop the tide of needless soldier deaths.
In this recently published video, Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston condemned the command climate at Fort Hood. He said he supports the actions directed by the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff.
For the uninitiated, the Sergeant Major of the Army, or SMA, is the highest-ranking enlisted non-commissioned officer (NCO) in the United States Army and reports directly to the Chief of Staff of the Army. The Army launched a probe into the glut of soldier deaths this year. It recently handed down sweeping punishments across the command, including removing the commanding general f