commandant
and the Chief of Naval Operations, plans for the assignment were well
under way in June 1947 when the commandant of the Twelfth Naval
District intervened.[10-37] The presence of a black unit, he declared,
was undesirable in a predominantly white area that was experiencing
almost constant labor turmoil. The possibility of clashes between
white pickets and black guards would invite racial conflict. His
warnings carried the day, and Port Chicago was dropped in favor of the
Marine Barracks, Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, New York, with station at
Bayonne, New Jersey. At the same time, because of opposition from
naval officials, the plan for assigning Negroes to Earle, New Jersey,
was also dropped, and the commandant launched inquiries about the (p. 264)
depots at Hingham, Massachusetts, and Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania.[10-38]

[Footnote 10-36: Ltr, CO, NAD, McAlester, Okla., to
CMC, 5 Nov 46, 1st Ind to Ltr, CO, MB, McAlester,
2385; Memo, Dir, Div of Plans and Policies, for
CMC, 3 Dec 46, sub: Assignment of Negro Marines to
MB, Naval Magazine, Port Chicago, Calif., in lieu
of MB, NAD, McAlester, Okla., A0-1.]

[Footnote 10-37: Memo, CMC for CNO, 3 Dec 46, sub:
Assignment of Negro Marines to MB, Naval Magazine,
Port Chicago, Calif., and MB, NAD, Earle, N.J.,
A0-1; idem for CO, MB, NAD, Earle, N.J., 9 Jan 47,
sub: Assignment of Colored Marines to Marine
Barracks, Naval Ammunition Depot, Earle, N.J.; idem
for CO, Department of the Pacific, and CO, MB, NAD,
McAlester, Okla., A0-1; Memo, CNO for CMC, 6 Jan
47, same sub, OP 30 M.]

[Footnote 10-38: Speed Ltr, CMC to Cmdt, Twelfth Naval
District, 12 Jun 47; Memo, CMC for CO, MB, Naval
Shipyard, Brooklyn, N.Y., 13 Jun 47, sub:
Assignment of Negro Marines to Second Guard
Company, Marine Barracks Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn,
N.Y., A0-1; idem for CO, MB, USNAD, Hingham, Mass.,
18 Jun 47, sub: Assignment of Negro Marines, A0-1;
Speed Ltr, CMC to Cmdt, Twelfth Naval District, 18
Jun 47, 01A76847; Memo, CMC for CO, MB, NAD, Ft.