fill vacancies in any
unit. At the same time, he remained adamant on the quota. When the
committee spoke hopefully of the advantages of an Army open to all,
the Army contemplated fearfully the racial imbalance that might
result. The future was to prove the committee right about the
advantages, but as of September 1949 Gray and his subordinates had no
intention of giving up the quota.[14-84] Gray did agree, however, to
continue studying the quota issue with the committee, and Fahy
optimistically reported to President Truman: "It is the Committee's
expectation that it will be able within a few weeks to make a formal
report to you on a complete list of changes in Army policy and
practices."[14-85]

[Footnote 14-83: Memo, VCofS for Gray, 29 Aug 49, sub:
Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed
Services, CSUSA 291.2 Negroes.]

[Footnote 14-84: Interv, Nichols with Gordon Gray,
1953, in Nichols Collection, CMH; Memo, Kenworthy
for Cmte, 19 Sep 49, sub: Meeting With Gray, 16 Sep
49, Fahy Papers, Truman Library.]

[Footnote 14-85: Ltrs, Fahy to President, 21 Sep and
26 Sep 49, both in FC file.]

Fahy made his prediction before Secretary of Defense Johnson took a
course of action that, in effect, rendered the committee's position
untenable. On 30 September Johnson received from Gray a new program
for the employment of black troops. Without reference to the Fahy
Committee, Johnson approved the proposal and announced it to the
press. Gray's program opened all military occupational specialties to
all qualified men, abolished racial quotas for the Army's schools, and
abolished racially separate promotion systems and standards. But it
also specifically called for retention of the racial quota on
enlistments and conspicuously failed to provide for the assignment of
black specialists beyond those jobs already provided by the old Gillem
Board policy.[14-86] Secretary Gray had asked for Fahy's personal
approval before forwarding the plan discussed by the two men at such
length, but Fahy refused; he wanted the plan submitted to his full
committee. When Johnson received the plan he did not consult the
committee at all, although he briefly referred it to the acting
chairman of the Personnel Policy Board, who interposed no
objection.[14-87]