ainst housing discrimination in
_Jones_ v. _Mayer_, McNamara's successor, Clark M. Clifford, was able
to combine economic threats with new legal sanctions against landlords
who continued to discriminate. On 20 June 1968 Clifford ordered the
services to provide advice and legal assistance to servicemen who
encountered discrimination in housing. The services were also to
coordinate their housing programs with the Departments of Housing and
Urban Development and Justice, provide assistance in locating
nondiscriminatory rental units, and withhold authorization for
servicemen to sign leases where discriminatory practices were evident.
In a separate action the manpower assistant secretary also ordered
that housing referral offices be established on all bases to which
100--as opposed to the earlier 500--military personnel were
assigned.[23-95]

[Footnote 23-95: In _Jones_ v. _Mayer_ (392 U.S.
409, 421 [1968]) the Supreme Court held that the
Civil Rights Act of 1968 "bars all racial
discrimination, private as well as public, in the
sale or rental of property." For Clifford's
response, see Memo, SecDef for Secys of Military
Departments, et al., 20 Jun 68; Clark Clifford,
News Conference, 20 Jun 68; Memo, ASD (M&RA) for
Secys of Military Departments, et al., 25 Nov 68.
For instructions concerning legal assistance to
servicemen and civilian employees of the Department
of Defense under the 1968 Civil Rights Act, see DOD
Instr 1338.12, 8 Aug 68. Copy of all in CMH.]

[Illustration: FIRST AID. _Soldier of the 23d Infantry gives water to
heat stroke victim during "Operation Wahiawa," Vietnam._]

The result of these directives was spectacular. By June 1968 the (p. 606)
ratio of off-base housing units carried on military referral
listings--that is, apartment and trailer court units with open housing
policies assured in writing by the owner or certified by the local
commander--rose to some 83 percent of all available off-base housing
for a gain of 247,000 units over the 1967 inventory.[23-96] In the
suburban Washington area alone, the number of housing units opened to
all servicemen rose more than 300 percent in 120 days--from 15,000 to
more than 50,000 units.[23-97] By the end of 1968 some