list of excepted areas to
the six mentioned. While it had no objection to the assignment of
individual Negroes or nonsegregated units to Panama, the department
informally advised the Army in December 1949, it did interpose grave
objections to the assignment of black units.[15-26] Accordingly, only
individual Negroes were assigned to temporary units in the Panama
Command.[15-27]

[Footnote 15-26: DF, D/PA to D/OT, 1 Mar 50, sub:
Utilization of Negro Manpower; Ltr, D/PA for Maj
Gen Ray E. Porter, CG, USACARIB, 9 Feb 50; both in
CSGPA 291.2.]

[Footnote 15-27: G-1 Summary Sheet, 12 Apr 50, sub:
Utilization of Negro Manpower, CSGPA 291.2.]

Yet for several reasons, the services were uneasy about the situation.
The Director of Marine Corps Personnel, for example, feared that since
in the bulk reassignment of marines enlisted men were transferred by
rank and military occupational specialties only, a black marine might
be assigned to an excepted area by oversight. Yet the corps was
reluctant to change the system.[15-28] An Air Force objection was (p. 387)
more pointed. General Edwards worried that the restrictions were
becoming public knowledge and would probably cause adverse criticism
of the Air Force. He wanted the State Department to negotiate with the
countries concerned to lift the restrictions or at least to establish
a clear-cut, defensible policy. Secretary Symington discussed the
matter with Secretary of Defense Johnson, and Halaby, knowing Deputy
Under Secretary of State Dean Rusk's particular interest in having men
assigned without regard to race, agreed to take the matter up with
Rusk.[15-29] Secretary of the Navy Francis P. Matthews reminded
Johnson that black servicemen already numbered among the thousands of
Navy men assigned to four of the six areas mentioned, and if the
system continued these men would periodically and routinely be
replaced with other black sailors. Should the Navy, he wanted to know,
withdraw these Negroes? Given the "possible unfavorable reaction" to
their withdrawal, the Navy wanted to keep Negroes in these areas in
approximately their present numbers.[15-30] Both the Fahy Committee
and the Personnel Policy Board made it clear that they too wanted
black servicemen retained wherever they were currently assigned.[15-31]

[Footnote 15-28: Memo, Dir of Perso