." Until the matter was
settled on a "higher level," Thomas concluded, the services were not
required to go further than had been their custom, and until
Vandegrift decided on segregation or integration, setting quotas for
the different branches in the corps was inappropriate. Thomas himself
recommended that segregated units be adopted and that a quota be
devised only after each branch of the corps reported how many Negroes
it could use in segregated units.[6-57] Vandegrift approved Thomas's
recommendation for segregated black units, and the Marine Corps lost
the chance, temporarily, to adopt a policy in line with either the
Navy's limited and integrated system or the Army's separate but equal
system.

[Footnote 6-57: Memo, Dir, Div of Plans and Policies,
for CMC, 13 May 46, sub: Negro Personnel in the
Post-War Marine Corps.]

General Thomas spent the summer collecting and reviewing the proposals
of the corps' various components for the employment of black marines.
On the basis of this review General Vandegrift approved a postwar
policy for the employment of Negroes in the Marine Corps on 26
September 1946. The policy called for the enlistment of 2,264 Negroes,
264 as stewards, the rest to serve in separate units, chiefly in
ground security forces of the Fleet Marine Force in Guam and Saipan
and in Marine Corps activities of the naval shore establishment. No
Negroes except stewards would serve in Marine aviation, Marine forces
afloat, or, with the exception of service depots, in the Marine
logistic establishment.[6-58]

[Footnote 6-58: Idem for CMC, 25 Sep 46, sub:
Post-War Negro Personnel Requirements. For examples
of the proposals submitted by the various
components, see Memo, F. D. Beans, G-3, for G-1, 6
Aug 46, sub: Employment of Colored Personnel in the
Fleet Marine Force (Ground) (less Service Ground)
and in Training Activities; Memo, Lt Col Schmuck,
G-3, for Col Stiles, 10 Jun 46, sub: Utilization of
Negro Personnel in Post-War Infantry Units of the
Fleet Marine Force; Memo, QMC for CMC, 4 Sep 46,
sub: Negro Personnel in the Post-War Marine Corps.]

The policy was in effect by January 1947. In the end the Marine Corps'
white-only tradition had pro