Academy of Political and Social Science_ 275 (May
1951):29. See also Lee's _Employment of Negro
Troops_, p. 159. Edward's part in the integration
program is based on USAF Oral History Program,
Interviews with Zuckert, General William F. McKee,
Davis, Senator Stuart Symington, and Marr. See also
Interv, author with Lt Gen Idwal H. Edwards, Nov
73, CMH files.]

[Footnote 11-65: Ltr, Marr to author, 19 Jun 70, CMH
files.]

A similar concern for efficiency, this time triggered by criticism at
the National Defense Conference on Negro Affairs in April 1948 and
Evans's discussions with Secretary Symington the following month, led
Edwards, after talking it over with Assistant Secretary Zuckert, to
raise the subject of the employment of Negroes in the Air Board in
May.[11-66] In the wake of the Air Board discussion the Chief of Staff
appointed a group under Maj. Gen. Richard E. Nugent, then Director (p. 288)
of Civilian Personnel, to reexamine the service's race policy.[11-67]
Nugent was another Air Force official who viewed the employment of
Negroes as a problem in military efficiency.[11-68] These three,
Edwards, Nugent, and Marr, were the chief figures in the development
of the Air Force integration plan, which grew out of the Nugent
group's study. Edwards and Nugent supervised its many refinements in
the staff while Marr, whom Zuckert later described as the
indispensable man, wrote the plan and remained intimately connected
with it until the Air Force carried it out.[11-69] Antedating the
Truman order to integrate the services, the provisions of this plan
eventually became the program under which the Air Force was
integrated.[11-70]

[Footnote 11-66: A group created to review policy and
make recommendations to the Chief of Staff when
called upon, the Air Board consisted at this time
of the Assistant Chiefs of the Air Staff, the Air
Inspector, the Air Comptroller, the Director of
Information, the Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff
for Research and Development, and other officials
when appropriate.]

[Footnote 11-67: Memo, Maj Leon Bell for Zuckert, 27
Oct 48,