"The order violated nearly 14 years of Army practice since President Truman's 1948 executive order desegregating the U.S. military," Doyle said, adding that in 1962, the 1-million man U.S. Army was "on the whole, functioning extremely well as a racially integrated American institution, with a great many black leaders in the front ranks."
The order affected thousands of black troops and officers of the elite Army Military Police, elite paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, and foot soldiers of the Second Infantry Indianhead Division. The 11,000-strong Mississippi National Guard, which was also mobilized for the operation, was not affected by the order because it was an all-white force at the time.
"In a supreme humiliation," Doyle said, "squads of proud black paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division were stripped of their helmets and guns and forced to perform garbage duties on the campus of the University of Mississippi while white students laughed at them."
However, because of the use of a large number of federal troops, the incident marked the last time there was "massive resistance" to forced desegregation, Doyle said.
Other evidence related to the incident uncovered by Doyle include:
-FBI and Pentagon documents reveal details of a surprise raid by members of 716th Military Police Battalion on the Sigma Nu house, the fraternity presided over by chapter president Trent Lott, currently a Republican senator from Mississippi who serves as the Senate minority leader. Inside the frat house, MPs found and removed 24 weapons – 21 shotguns, a .22 rifle, a .30 caliber rifle and a .22 Colt pistol. Lott, Doyle said, refused to be interviewed for the book;
-Though the government denied any culpability at the time, FBI documents and author interviews confirmed that "beleaguered" U.S. marshals were forced to open fire with a minimum of 14 shots toward a hijacked fire engine, which raised the possibility that a bystander was killed by one of their stray shots;
-Evidence was also discovered suggesting that JFK, on the day of the crisis, "summoned quack New York doctor Max ('Dr. Feelgood') Jacobson to the White House by private plane to inject him with amphetamine, a highly dangerous psychoactive drug," said a press release.
In what he calls a "final disgrace," Doyle found a document written by the adjutant general's office, U.S. Continental Army Command, Fort Monroe, Va., denying the Army Commendation Medal for heroism for scores of soldiers nominated by commanders.
"Recommend disapproval of award of the Army Commendation Medal in each of the 40 attached recommendations," said the document. ... The focus of additional attention on the incident would not be in the best interest of the U.S. Army or the nation. ... Decorations should not be awarded for actions involving conflict between U.S. Army units and other Americans."
During his interview with WorldNetDaily, Doyle said the entire episode dispels the belief that the Kennedy brothers were "willing civil-rights heroes."
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