Carew Cheriton Control Tower Museum honour African-American GIs
African-American Military Personnel honoured with 75th Anniversary D Day Plaque
To commemorate the role African-American military personnel stationed in Pembrokeshire and South Wales played during the D-Day campaign - a special honorary Blue Plaque has been unveiled at Carew Cheriton control tower.
In the summer of 1944 one of the most important military campaigns of the 20th century took place on the French coastline of Normandy. That effort would ultimately lead to the liberation of Europe, and signal the beginning of the ending of WWII. The date was June 6 - also known as D-Day, and while the exploits of the allied campaign have long been lauded, the role service men and women of African Heritage played in the allied victory is not often acknowledged.
The memorial is sited at Carew Cheriton Control Tower, Carew Airfield, Pembrokeshire SA70 8SX.
Carew Cheriton Control Tower Group
https://www.carewcheritoncontroltower.co.uk/
The memorial is sited at Carew Cheriton Control Tower, Carew Airfield, Pembrokeshire SA70 8SX.
Approximately three thousand GI’s were billeted in and around the Carew area who made many friends with the local population. There are members of the Carew Control Tower Group who have vivid memories of those times and one young lady remembers the dances that the Americans held. No doubt there were many a broken heart when they suddenly left never to return.
We’ve had in mind for the last two years that there should be a memorial erected to the memory of those young men, some of whom were still teenagers, who gave their lives for us. It is never too late to honour their sacrifice especially as we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of Operation Overlord. To honour those troops, we have erected a monument here at Carew Cheriton Control Tower from the people of Pembrokeshire and the whole of Wales. A unique piece of granite weighing 2.5 tons has been sited adjacent to the memorial which honours the allied servicemen and women who were stationed at Carew during both World Wars.
Whether they were from continental Africa, the Caribbean, or African American soldiers, it easy to overlook the contribution of these unsung heroes and heroines.
An example of this is over 30,000 WWII African-American Service Personnel were based in Wales as a lead up to D Day. They were based in places as far afield as Cardiff, Swansea, Barry, Abergavenny, Aberystwyth, Pontypool and Pembroke. One of the explanations giving for their lack of historical representation is that the US army was separated along the lines of race at that time, and many of the American GIs brought with them their home-grown prejudices.
Back in the US, African-Americans could not travel in the same railway carriages, drink from the same water fountains or eat at the same cafes due to segregation and Jim-Crow laws. However, the American GIs were surprised and disappointed to discover that the people of Wales were far more welcoming of their African-American countrymen than had been bargained for. In Wales, the Black GIs - the ‘tan Yanks’ as they were affectionately known, were seen as Americans first.
One such group of African-American servicemen were an air crew based in Pembrokeshire, who arrived in the Spring of 1944. Among them were air and balloon pilots, and non-combat personnel like engineers, supply and transport staff. Some of their comrades were based not too far away in Pontypool, and it was this contingent i.e. the unheralded 320th Anti-Aircraft Barrage Balloon Battalion that provided the cover and protected allied troops from aerial attacks at the start on June 6, 1944 D Day campaign.
The D Day plaque and ceremony held on Saturday at Carew was sponsored by Nubian Jak and delivered in partnership with RAF Carew Cheriton, 160 Infantry Brigade and HQ Wales, and Race Council Cymru (Wales).
Secretary of RAF Carew Cheriton Martin Hyde said: “The Carew Cheriton Control Tower Group members feel honoured that the Nubian Jack Community Plaque is being placed on their building.
“The Group is presently creating a memorial stone dedicated to all the GIs of the 110th Infantry Regiment who served in Pembrokeshire prior to the D Day landings and the allied invasion of Europe. The two remembrance items will be complementary.”
CEO of the Nubian Jak Group, Dr Jak Beula remarked: “It is a great honour to be involved in installing the first diverse Blue Plaque in Wales.
“There could not be a more appropriate date to remember the African-American WWII service personnel who resided in South Wales during WWII, than on the 75th anniversary of D Day to commemorate the bravery they displayed on June 6, 1944”.
Lieutenant Colonel of 160th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Wales, Jonah MacGill said: “160th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Wales, on behalf of the Armed Forces in Wales, is extremely proud to be able to support this project which recognises the contribution of those African American Service Personnel who were based throughout Wales and who took part in D Day.
“We are pleased to be involved in the outstanding work of organisations such as the Nubian Jak Community Trust and Race Council Cymru.
“We hope that through all of our efforts we will arrive at a “new normal” whereby the incredible contribution and sacrifice of so many from across the globe, who came to the aid of Great Britain in times of conflict and need, is properly understood and acknowledged.”
Chief Executive of Race Council Cymru, Mrs Uzo Iwobi OBE said: “Race Council Cymru is delighted that the contributions of African-American, African and Caribbean servicemen and women are going to be acknowledged and marked with a historic D Day Plaque.
“This is long overdue and will go a long way to honour and recognise these significant and life changing contributions which ought to be better acknowledged. This is an exciting time for our Black History communities across Wales.“
Chair of RAF Association London and South East, Peter Ramrayka said: “The Nubian Jak Community Trust’s latest event continues to widen the knowledge and perpetuates the memory of the contributions made by black service personnel in both world wars and it is indeed commendable. Lest we Forget"
Mayor of Pembroke Dock, Councillor Gordon Goff who attended the ceremony commented: “I am proud to have been invited to unveil the 75th anniversary D-Day Plaque, we at Pembroke Dock Town Council would like to thank the service personnel for their contribution whilst being based in Pembrokeshire and would like to thank the sponsors for supporting and arranging the ceremony.”
Published in Temby Observer on Sunday 16 June 2019
Photos: Martin Cavaney