he recruitment of stewards did not go according to predictions.
Thomas had assured the commandant in the spring of 1946 that a
concrete offer of steward duty to black reservists would produce the
300-man quota for the regular corps. He wanted the offer published at
all separation centers and a training program for stewards instituted
at Camp Lejeune.[10-20] General Vandegrift approved the proposal, but a
month later the commander of Camp Lejeune reported that only three
reservists and one regular had volunteered.[10-21] He advised the
commandant to authorize recruitment among qualified civilians. Faced
with wholesale rejection of such duty by black marines, General Thomas
in March 1947 opened the Steward's Branch to Negroes with previous
military service in any of the armed forces and qualifications for
such work.[10-22] This ploy also proved a failure. Looking for 250
stewards, the recruiters could find but one acceptable applicant in
the first weeks of the program. Retreating still further, the
commandant canceled the requirement for previous military service in
April, and in October dropped the requirement for "clearly established
qualifications."[10-23] Apparently the staff would take a chance on any
warm body.

[Footnote 10-20: Memo, Dir, Div of Plans and Policies,
for CMC, 12 Mar 46, sub: Steward's Branch
Personnel, Information Concerning, A0-3, MC files.]

[Footnote 10-21: Ltr, CG, Cp Lejeune, to CMC, 4 Apr
46, sub: Steward's Branch Personnel, 060105.]

[Footnote 10-22: Memo, Dir, Div of Plans and Policies,
for CMC, 18 Mar 47, sub: Enlistment of Negro
Personnel, 01A7647.]

[Footnote 10-23: Ibid., 16 Apr 47, sub: First
Enlistment of Negro Personnel, A0-1, and 9 Oct 47,
sub: Procurement and Assignment of Stewards
Personnel, Box 1515-30; Ltr, CMC (Div of
Recruiting) to Off in Charge, Northeastern
Recruiting Div, 29 Apr 47, sub: Negro First
Enlistments, 07A11947.]

In dropping the requirement for prior military service, the corps
introduced a complication. Recruits for steward duty would be obliged
to undergo basic training and their enlistment contracts would read
"general duty"; Navy regulations required that subsequent
reclassif