William R. Davis passes
Mick sends us the sad news that William Rudolph Davis has passed at the tender age of 92 years. Known as “Rudolph” by his friends, Davis was one of the 20,000 African-Americans to serve as a Marine during World War II;
They were trained and served in segregated units commanded by white officers. Recruits were sent to boot camp in segregated facilities at Montford Point at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C.
He was assigned duties as a machine gunner with the 52nd Defense Battalion and was recently awarded a bronze replica of the Congressional Gold Medal for his service.
[…]
The flag of the Commonwealth of Virginia will be flown at half-staff at the state capitol Monday in honor of Davis.
According to Wiki, the 52d Defense Battalion was deployed to the Marianna Islands and Guam.
Category: We Remember
He served at a tune when people of color were almost always treated like shit. Think of the stories he could tell. His actions brought deserved honor to men and women of color.
Rest in Peace, old Warrior. We are a better country because of you.
Looking at certain of today’s citizens, I can’t say that progress has been linear and continuous in nature. The moral compass became defective at some point in time. Had to be said.
Rest well, old warrior. You deserve it.
“He served at a tune when people of color were almost always treated like shit. ”
VERY true, Warriors like him served and came home being told to get to the back of the bus, go to the end counter, etc. while today we have spoiled multimillionaire no-load crybabies bawling that they’re “oppressed”as well as college aged crybabies bawling for safe spaces.
“The moral compass became defective at some point in time.”
I concur. A Korea/Vietnam Vet that I once attended church with some years ago was very certain that NO decade of our Nation’s History messed it up more than the 1960’s.
ah, the 60s, the decade of those who have been running the country for the last 25 years…..
Ruining the country is more like it.
He got a bronze “replica”? Nothing like rubbing salt in the wound! Is that the best the a.h.’s could do?
Rest in peace Brother. You earned it well.
RIP, Sir.
Many of us are grateful for your service, sacrifice, and example.
My history is a little weak on this, but didn’t Woodrow Wilson re segregate the armed forces?
No, the segregation started with the Militia Acts of 1792. It was amended in 1862 to allow blacks to serve, but not in integrated units. This continued until the Korean War.
Exactly, I think Wilson made changes to the federal Civil Service system that were anti-African American. Of course, Wilson screened “Birth of a Nation” which depicted the KKK as heroic and proclaimed it to be accurate. Yeah, fuck that Wilson guy.
Correct, The Stranger. Woodrow Wilson, the hero of the Progressives, the guy with the Ph.D., was truly a racist. He segregated federal service. Today’s Progressives would like us to overlook that issue. It doesn’t fit.
Wilson had little respect for the US Constitution, advocating that the US become a Parliamentary Democracy instead. He was not a fan of the checks and balances inherent in the Constitution, and effectively tried to do away with them during World War I. If anyone can be called the USA’s “first Imerial President”, Wilson can.
He was also a foreign policy idiot who believed that “moral authority” should US international relations. Sound familiar?
And yes – he was indeed a racist, and promoted segregation both at Princeton and when POTUS. Nice guy, eh?
Elinoir Roosevelt was the driving power behind desegregation!
RIP, sir. You’ve more than earned it.
Fair winds and following seas, Marine.
Rest in peace, Mr. Davis. See you next time around.
This man is of a different time. The injustice he suffered did not stop him from serving the country. He didn’t take a knee to protest. He served, he raised a family, and he saw much change, some positive, some not, in his lifetime. His passing represents much more than the legal and social barriers he overcame and more to me than the loss of another WW II Veteran. He was a patriarch, a husband, a father and a Marine. Something strikes me as especially sad in his passing.
Very well said.
Semper Fidelis.
Indeed, A/C. Concur with all you said.
RIP, Sir. Prayers for peace for your family.
AC: “Something strikes me as especially sad in his passing.” Roger that. For me, in his passing, I see my own. I have many fewer years to live than I have lived. I’m not afraid of death, but of dying. Make sense? Maybe not, maybe so. I also see the passage of the old guard, and in that, as you, I see great sadness. The Greatest Generation? I don’t know, but certainly near the top. Greatness known not time constraints, but the men and women of that era take second stage to no others.
I hear ya, HMC Ret. As for death and dying, I fear neither. Maybe that will change when I am at death’s doorstep, or maybe I’ll have no notice of it at all and fear will not have the time to visit. What steels me to death’s call is both my faith and the absolute knowledge that I have received these days because others sacrificed their lives. How many men were denied a full life to live because they Fell in service? It strikes me each time the remains of another Korean War or WW II Veteran is found on foreign soil or, at long last, identified, or one of our troops is struck down in Iraq or Afghanistan or some other godforsaken place. I was a young, gung ho, SOB once, as I would guess most here were too. In these later years, not so much. I wish those youngsters had had more time. It bothers me greatly that they did not.
As for the Greatest Generation, theirs was a fight against tyranny, oppression, and true megalomaniacs. I won’t quibble with whether they were any better than those who preceded or followed them. But that’s what’s causing me (and others) such pain in this election and the direction our country’s “leaders” have taken us. Did good men die so that we would have what the US has become? Is this it? If it is, I want no part of it. I had better stop now before I launch.
“and the absolute knowledge that I have received these days because others sacrificed their lives.” That was a mess. Proofing would help.
Air Cav: I know where I’m going when I pass. I take great comfort in that prospect. It’s the process of getting there that most bothers me.
As I see the country deteriorate, I am saddened to think it may have been all for naught, that we have seen our greatest, finest hour, and that we now spiral in defeat to our nadir. I am saddened as I see what we are becoming/have become, that the efforts of so many millions, including those who gave their life, those who worked tirelessly for decades, asking only for a fair share for their toil. And they did so to have this ending?
Tomorrow decides the country. The SCOTUS hangs in the balance. It’s equally as important as the Presidency. God save us all … Chief
“The SCOTUS hangs in the balance. It’s equally as important as the Presidency.” It’s more important, as I see it, most especially nowadays when Congress is surrendering its collective power and Constitutional obligations in deference to the Executive branch and in pursuit of individual aggrandizement. The Supreme Court for many years was the most respected and insulated of the group. That ended some time ago and the justices revealed what they really are: a tiny group of lawyers with an agenda that includes legislating through legal decisions. And they serve for life! Good God, man. I don’t know what Trump will do should he prevail but I dam sure know what Clinton will do. Emperor oBaMa told the world yesterday as he stumped for the Bitch of Benghazi. She will continue the Progressive Agenda. He said so flat out. We all know that but I was amazed that he actually said so.
Holy shit! It’s the presidents right to appoint people to the Supreme Court with the approval of congress. Congress flat out said “fuck you” . So I’m not sure what world you’re living in where you think a president, short of an act of war can override congress, is fucking up SCOTUS, but please, read the constitution prior to making such statements. It appears as though some on this site think that POTUS has god-like powers. No for fucks sake, he doesn’t. Some want to point a finger at POTUS every time something happens that they don’t fucking like. There is a give and take people. And Hondo, your congress passed the affordable care act. It’s not fucking Obamacare , oh and for my final point, the war in Iraq? And as an active service member, I leave it at that. I know that numerous members of this site will call me names, most of which I wouldn’t even addresst soldiersas, but that just goes to show what I previously stated. So this pussy-licking, ass-clown, no dick, meat-wanting, and whatever other adjectives your friends are gonna throw my way, is signing out. For good. Jonn, you do an excellent job with pointing out phonies. Thank you for that.
Get the fuck out Lars and stay the fuck out you mealy mouthed, illiterate, piece of shit. You’ve threatened to leave before but never do, which speaks volumes about your integrity.
Yo, fella: you do realize that I didn’t write the comment you replied to above – right? Or are you so clueless (or have such poor reading comprehension) that you didn’t notice that fact?
Regarding the SCOTUS and other Presidential appointees: it appears that you need to review – and possibly have someone explain to you – Article II, Section 2, of the US Constitution. The POTUS can indeed appoint whomever he wants to serve as Judges, Ambassadors, and numerous other high Federal offices. However, the individuals so appointed do not take office unless and until the Senate approves them. As you said: “approval of congress” – or, more accurately, the Senate – is also required. I don’t find that hard to understand, but apparently you do.
The current POTUS is hardly the first to get “crossways” with the Senate regarding confirmation of one or more of his choices to fill a vacancy on the SCOTUS. He likely won’t be the last, either.
Regarding the term “ObamaCare” – three points. First: talk to the media. They started calling that asinine abomination of a law “ObamaCare” long before I ever used the term.
Second: the actual title of that law isn’t the “Affordable Care Act”, either; that term is also a short-form nickname for the abomination. The act’s complete title is the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act”. You probably shouldn’t correct someone for using a nickname or common term for an item if you’re going to do the same thing yourself, only using a different nickname. Doing so sounds kinda hypocritical.
Lastly: perhaps you can explain to all of us what relevance ObamaCare has to the discussion here of the passing of a black American who served honorably as a Marine during World War II – or why you’re the only one wanting to discuss such a blatantly irrelevant topic here. Frankly, that doesn’t make much sense to me. However, libidiots usually don’t make sense to me anyway, so that’s nothing new.
Stay or go as you wish. It’s still a free country, mostly.
“So I’m not sure what world you’re living in where you think a president, short of an act of war can override congress, is fucking up SCOTUS, but please, read the constitution prior to making such statements.” You are so out of touch as to not believe that if wideload prevails, even given a Republican control of the Senate, that she will not eventually push through her choice to SCOTUS? You really believe that? In what universe do you reside? Four years, possibly eight, and she won’t pack the court with SJW who do not act in the best interest of the country, but in the continuation of the liberal agenda? Come back when properly medicated. And WHY do you drag in topics not having been discussed in the thread? Next time, why not discuss your cat? We’d love to hear about it. You know, your pussy. Cat.
Turn to and accept Jesus, he already died for ALL of us! Then you neither have to fear death OR dying! But can anticipate a glorious existance in paradise in the next life!
RIP Marine.
R. I. P. Warrior, you’ve earned your place in history and Valhalla.
Thank you for your service and the example you set. Rest in peace Mr Davis.
Thank you, sir, for your selfless service in the face of so much hate.
It humbles me to no end. I just don’t think I could do what you did.
Rest in peace.
RIP, Marine.
Rest Well Brother
Salute…..
Rest in Peace Marine