n of the Eighth Army_

On 14 May 1951 General Ridgway forced the issue of integration by
formally requesting authority to abolish segregation in his command.
He would begin with the 24th Infantry, which he wanted to replace
after reassigning its men to white units in Korea. He would then
integrate the other combat units and, finally, the service units. (p. 443)
Where special skills were not a factor Ridgway wanted to assign his
black troops throughout the theater to a maximum of 12 percent of any
unit. To do this he needed permission to integrate the 40th and 45th
Divisions, the federalized National Guard units then stationed in
Japan. He based his proposals on the need to maintain the combat
effectiveness of his command where segregated units had proved
ineffective and integrated units acceptable.[17-46]

[Footnote 17-46: Msg, CINCFE to DA, DA IN 12483, 14
May 51, sub: Utilization of Negro Manpower in the
FEC; ibid., DA IN 13036, 15 May 51, same sub. See
also Ltrs, CG, Eighth Army, to CINCFE, 7 May 51,
sub: Redesignation of Negro Combat Units, and
Ridgway to author, 3 Dec 73, both in CMH.]

When it finally arrived, the proposal for wide-scale integration of
combat units encountered no real opposition from the Army staff.
General Ridgway had rehearsed his proposal with the G-3 when the
latter visited the Far East in April. Taylor "heartily approved,"
calling the times auspicious for such a move.[17-47] Of course his
office quickly approved the plan, and McAuliffe in G-1 and the rest of
the staff followed suit. There was some sentiment on the staff,
eventually suppressed, for retaining the 24th Infantry as an
integrated unit since the statutory requirement for the four black
regiments had been repealed in 1950.[17-48] The staff did insist, over
the G-1's objections, on postponing the integration of the two
National Guard divisions until their arrival in Korea, where the
change could be accomplished through normal replacement-rotation
procedures.[17-49] There were other minor complications and
misunderstandings between the Far East Command and the Army staff over
the timing of the order, but they were easily ironed out.[17-50]
Collins discussed the plan with the appropriate congressional
chairmen, Ridgway further briefed the Secretary of Defense during
General Marshall's 1951 visit to Japan, and Secretary