signed according to his training and not
his color.[16-44]

[Footnote 16-44: History Officer, 3202d Installations
Groups, "History of the 3202d Installations Group,
1 July-31 October 1950," Eglin AFB, Fla., pp. 8-9.]

The preoccupation of high officials with the effects of integration on
a soldier's social life seemed at times out of keeping with the issues
of national defense and military efficiency. At one of the Fahy
Committee hearings, for instance, an exasperated Charles Fahy asked
Omar Bradley, "General, are you running an Army or a dance?"[16-45]
Yet social life on military bases at swimming pools, dances, bridge
parties, and service clubs formed so great a part of the fabric of
military life that the Air Force staff could hardly ignore the
possibility of racial troubles in the countless social exchanges that
characterized the day-to-day life in any large American institution.
The social situation had been seriously considered before the new
racial policy was approved. At that time the staff had predicted that
problems developing out of integration would not prove insurmountable,
and indeed on the basis of a year's experience a member of the Air
staff declared that (p. 411)

at the point where the Negro and the white person are actually in
contact the problem has virtually disappeared. Since all races of
Air Force personnel work together under identical environmental
conditions on the base, it is not unnatural that they participate
together, to the extent that they desire, in certain social
activities which are considered a normal part of service life.
This type of integration has been entirely voluntary, without
incident, and considerably more complete and more rapid than was
anticipated.[16-46]

[Footnote 16-45: This off-the-record comment occurred
during the committee hearings in the Pentagon and
was related to the author by E. W. Kenworthy in
interview on 17 October 1971. See also Memo,
Kenworthy to Brig Gen James L. Collins, Jr., 13 Oct
76, copy in CMH.]

[Footnote 16-46: Marr Report.]

[Illustration: JET MECHANICS _work on an F-100 Supersabre, Foster Air
Force Base, Texas_.]

The Air staff had imposed only two rules on int