Title
Honoring and Recognizing 2nd Lt. John Edward James, Jr, for his service during World War II and recognizing the Museum of the American Revolution, Chairman and acting CEO General John Jumper for righting the wrongs of the past and helping to commission Private John Edward James, Jr. to 2nd Lt. John Edward James, Jr.
Body
WHEREAS, John Edward James, Jr. was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania in 1920; and
WHEREAS, Mr. James, began serving in the United States Army at the age of 21 in 1941 as a private, bravely serving in a total of five overseas campaigns and serving his country with distinction and grace; and
WHEREAS, Throughout Mr. James' service in the US Army, he received a total of five war medals, including a Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, a World War II Victory Medal, and a European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; and
WHEREAS, In 1942, Mr. James completed officer candidate training at The Infantry School at Fort Benning, one of only 21 men of color in a graduating class of 200. Mr. James, should have been commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and assigned to the 242nd Quartermaster Battalion; and
WHEREAS, His commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 242nd Quartermaster Battalion would have put him in charge of white officers - leading to his commission being denied, with Mr. James remaining a private; and
WHEREAS, After his family pursued the issue for years, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army official declared that the Army would approve Mr. James' commission in March 2018; and
WHEREAS, To honor this momentous occasion the Museum of the American Revolution, with its Board Chair and Acting CEO General John Jumper decided to hold the commissioning ceremony at the Museum to celebrate the event and to help right the wrongs of the past; and
WHEREAS, Mr. James comes from a family of patriots. His great-great-great grandfather served during the American Revolutionary War as a Serg...
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