me that an increase of black cadets from
four to nine would stir much interest when other statistics suggested
that black officers had a limited future in the service. As Secretary
Royall pointed out, even if the total number of black officers could
not be quickly increased, the percentage of black officers in the (p. 222)
Regular Army could.[8-41] Yet by April 1948 the Army had almost
completed the conversion of reservists into regulars, and few black
officers had been selected. In June 1945, for example, there were 8
black officers in the Regular Army; by April 1948 they numbered only
41, including 4 West Point graduates and 32 converted reservists.[8-42]
The Army had also recently nominated 13 young Negroes, designated
Distinguished Military Graduates of the advanced ROTC program, for
Regular Army commissions.

[Footnote 8-41: Department of National Defense,
"National Defense Conference on Negro Affairs," 26
Apr 48, morning session, pp. 20-21. Prior to World
War II, an officer held a commission in the Regular
Army, in the Army Reserve, or in the National
Guard. Another type of commission, one in the Army
of the United States (AUS), was added during World
War II, and all temporary promotions granted during
the war were to AUS rank. For example, a Regular
Army captain could become an AUS major but would
retain his Regular Army captaincy. Many reservists
and some National Guard officers remaining on
active duty sought conversion to, or "integration"
into, the Regular Army for career security.]

[Footnote 8-42: These black officers were converted
to Regular Army officers in the following arms and
services: Infantry, 13; Chaplain Corps, 9; Medical
Service Corps, 1; Army Nurse Corps, 1; Field
Artillery, 1; Quartermaster, 7 (4 of whom were
transferred later to the Transportation Corps).
These figures include the first black doctor and
nurse converted to Regular Army officers.]

During the Regular Army integration program, 927 Negroes and 122,520
whites applied for the Regular Army; the Army and the Air Force
a