Two hundred and thirty-one thousand men and 10,000 women served in the Coast Guard during World War II. Born in 1917 and lived in New York, David joined the United States Coast Guard at a time the service was segregated and limited African Americans to non-senior enlisted ratings. Despite his secondary status serving as Steward’s Mate in the Coast Guard, David respected the core values of his duty while putting the needs of others before his own. David had been assigned to the United States Coast Guard Comanche during World War II, which was assigned to escort a convoy that included the Dorchester. In 1999, he was recognized with the Immortal Chaplains Prize for Humanity, and recently, the United States Coast Guard named a Fast Response Cutter in his honor.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 09, 2020 16:07 UTC