the record of its
brilliant achievements may in some degree obscure the service rendered
our country and its Allies by the Negro in the navy, but the Negro was
represented in this branch of the military service almost in the same
proportion, and, just as with Perry on Lake Erie, Farragut on the
Mississippi, Dewey at Manila Bay, Hobson at Santiago, and Peary at the
North Pole, he rendered efficient heroic and honorable service during
the World War. It must be remembered that our ships were a part of the
great war forces which kept open the highways of the deep and made
possible the final triumph of the Allied armies, for, had the command of
the ocean slipped from our hands those armies would have languished and
been beaten back for lack of support in men and material. Had the
sceptre of the seas passed to our foes, our own black boys would never
have inscribed on their banner the imperishable name of Chateau-Thierry,
The Argonne, and Hill 304. The one essential and indisputable element of
victory was the supremacy of the Allied fleet.

NEGROES IN THE GRAND FLEET.

The Negro's part in the organization of the Grand Fleet is far from
being inconsiderable, his services were utilized in the complement of
every vessel and shore station and at this time as in the past, black
blood was among the very first to be gloriously shed in the American
navy, that free government should live imperishably among the sons of
men.

On November 4, 1917, the _U.S.S. Alcedo_ proceeded to sea from Quiberon
Bay on escort duty to take convoy through the war zone; she had as
members of her crew two young Negroes, just in the prime of life and
patriotic to the core. It was the crew of this vessel that was first
called upon to make the supreme sacrifice. Robert McCray and Earnest
Harrison were their names, and the following report fully indicates the
manner in which they gave their lives in order that democracy might not
perish from the earth: "At or about 1:45 A.M., November 5th, while
sleeping in emergency cabin, immediately under upper bridge, I was
awakened by a commotion and immediately received a report from some man
unknown, 'Submarine, Captain.'

"I jumped out of bed and went to the upper bridge, and the officer of
the deck, Lieutenant Paul, stated he had sounded 'General quarters,' had
seen submarine on surface about three hundred yards on port bow, and
submarine had fired a torpedo, which was approaching. I took station on
port wing o