Korean War Soldiers

Benjamin O. Davis Jr., Jesse L. Brown, and Cornelius H. Charlton. These three soldiers weren't just any soldiers. They were three out of the 300,000 African American soldiers who were finally integrated into the white units. After President Truman signed the executive order ordering the racial integration of armed forces in 1948, Colonel Davis (top left) helped draft the Air Force to implement this order, making it the first of the services to fully integrate.

Jesse LeRoy Brown (Top right) was another Air Force fighter who was in the fully integrated units. Jesse L. Brown was killed during an air support mission after his plane was shot down and crashed. He received the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross for his Korean War combat service. Later an American warship, the USS Jesse L. Brown was named after him.

Cornelius H. Charlton (middle) was another war hero in the Korean War. He received two very prestigious awards, the Medal of Honor, and a Purple Heart.

Desegregation of the U.S. Army units was a great start for the civil rights movement letting great soldiers like Colonel Davis, Ensign Jesse LeRoy Brown, and Sgt. Charlton to be recognized for their amazing efforts.