established by Section 210 of the National Security
Act of 1947, consisted of the Secretary of Defense
as chairman with power of decision, the service
secretaries, and the military chiefs of the Army,
Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.]

[Footnote 14-5: Memo, Thomas R. Reid, Chmn, PPB, for
Worthington Thompson, OSD, 15 Feb 49, sub: Meeting
of Committee of Four, 10 A.M. Tuesday--15 February,
FC file.]

The Personnel Policy Board, established by Forrestal to help regulate
the military and civilian policies of his large department, was the
logical place to prepare a departmental racial policy.[14-6] But could a
group basically interservice in nature be expected to develop a
forceful, independent racial policy for all the services along the
lines Forrestal appeared to be following? It seemed unlikely, for at
their first meeting the board members agreed that any policy developed
must be "satisfactory to the three services."[14-7]

[Footnote 14-6: Forrestal signed an interim directive
appointing members of the board on 22 February
1949. Composed of a civilian chairman and an under
secretary or assistant secretary from each service,
the board was to have a staff of personnel experts
under a director, an officer of flag rank,
appointed by the chairman; see NME Press Releases,
28 Dec 48, and 1 Apr 49.]

[Footnote 14-7: Min PPB Mtg, 26 Feb 49, FC file.]

Undeterred by members' calling for more investigation and debate
before the board prepared a common policy, Chairman Thomas R. Reid and
his chief of staff, Army Brig. Gen. Charles T. Lanham, acted.[14-8] On 28
February they drafted a directive for the Secretary of Defense that
would abolish all racial quotas and establish uniform standards of
induction for service which in times of emergency would include
provisions for the apportionment of enlistees both qualitatively and
quantitatively. Moreover, all black enlistees would be given the
opportunity to serve as individuals in integrated units. The services
would be completely integrated by 1 July 1950. To ease the change,
Reid and Lanham would in the interim regulate the number of Negroes in
integr