with Gesell
on 13 May 1972.]

[Footnote 21-52: "Initial Rpt," p. 70.]

Mindful of the wish expressed by the White House staff that a report
be submitted by mid-1963, the committee, acting unanimously, completed
on 13 June 1963 an initial report on discrimination in the services
and the local community, postponing the results of its time-consuming
and less-pressing investigation of the National Guard and overseas
posts until a later date.[21-53] Complete accord among the members had
not been automatic. The chairman later recalled that the group's black
members had remained somewhat aloof during the months of
investigation, perhaps because at first they felt the report might be
a whitewash of executive policy, but that they became "enthusiastic"
when they read his draft and quickly joined in the preparation of the
final version.[21-54]

[Footnote 21-53: Ltr, Gesell to President Kennedy, 13
Jun 63, copy in CMH.]

[Footnote 21-54: Interv, author with Gesell, 13 May
72.]

The reason for this enthusiasm was a report that faithfully reflected
the realities of discrimination suffered by black servicemen and
proposed solutions based on conclusions drawn by the members from
their months of discussion and investigation. The committee's
conclusions and recommendations were the natural reaction of a group
of humane and sensible men to the overwhelming evidence of continued
discrimination against black servicemen. National policy, the
committee told the President, required that this discrimination be
eliminated, for

equal opportunity for the Negro will exist only when it is
possible for him to enter upon a career of military service with
assurance that his acceptance and his progress will be in no way
impeded by reason of his color. Clearly, distinctions based on
race prevent full utilization of Negro military personnel and are
inconsistent with the objectives of our democratic
society.[21-55]

[Footnote 21-55: "Initial Rpt," p. 11.]

The committee wanted responsibility for eliminating these color (p. 545)
distinctions in the services shifted to the local commander.
Commanders, it believed, needed to improve their communication with
black servicemen and should be "held accountable to discover and
remedy discrimination" in their commands. The committee, i