e International Committee of the Y.M.C.A. Negro
Men's Department, and her own work had always been with the
organization.

A short time later Miss Catherine Johnson of Greenville, Ohio, followed
in the wake of Mrs. Curtis and Mrs. Hunton. She is a sister of Dr.
Johnson of Columbus, Ohio, appointed early in 1919 minister to Liberia.

No less successful at home than abroad was the work of the Y.M.C.A.
among the Negroes in cantonments and training camps. It is known that
the services rendered by the Association to the officers' training camp
at Fort Des Moines had much to do with making that institution such a
remarkable success. From that time on comment was frequent that the best
work being done by the Association in many of the camps was done by
Negro secretaries.

The heroic exploit of Professor Cook, the "Y" secretary, which secured
him a recommendation for the Distinguished Service Cross, is mentioned
elsewhere. It was only equalled by the valiant performance of A.T.
Banks of Dayton, Ohio, a Negro "Y" secretary who went over the top with
the 368th Infantry. Secretary Banks, during the action, tarried to give
aid to a wounded soldier. The two were forced to remain all night in a
shell hole. During the hours before darkness and early the following
morning they were targets for a German sniper. The secretary succeeded
in getting the wounded man back to the lines, where he then proceeded to
organize a party to go after the sniper. They not only silenced him, but
rendered him unfit for any further action on earth. Mr. Banks returned
to America with the sniper's rifle as a souvenir. His work was
additionally courageous when it is considered that he was a
non-combatant and not supposed to engage in hostilities. Had he been
taken by the Germans he would not have been accorded the treatment of a
prisoner of war, but undoubtedly would have been put to death.

Were the records sufficiently complete at the present time to divulge
them, scores of examples of valorous conduct on the part of the "Y"
workers, Red Cross and other non-combatants who ministered to Negro
soldiers could be recounted. The work of all was of a noble character.
It was accompanied by a heroic spirit and in many cases by great
personal bravery and sacrifice.

CHAPTER XXVII.

NEGRO IN ARMY PERSONNEL

HIS MECHANICAL ABILITY REQUIRED--SKILLED AT SPECIAL TRADES--VICTORY
DEPENDS UPON TECHNICAL WORKERS--VAST RANGE OF OCCUPATIONS--NEGRO MAKES
GOOD S