Saluting Black Military Heroes

A look at military heroes both known and unsung.

Eugene Jacques Bullard - Before the Roosevelt Administration passed the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which required all men ages 18-45 to serve in the U.S. Army, Blacks served in limited roles or were excluded entirely from the armed forces, so many went abroad to search for new opportunities. Eugene Jacques Bullard, who was born in Columbus, Georgia, enlisted as a volunteer with the French army, and became the first Black military pilot in history and the only Black pilot in World War I. (Photo: Wikicommons)
Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James Jr.  - A graduate of the Tuskegee Institute, Gen. Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. went on to execute 101 combat missions during the Korean War and 78 combat missions into North Vietnam, leading a sweep in which seven Communist aircrafts were destroyed — the highest total kill of any mission during the Vietnam War. On Sept. 1, 1975, Gen. James became the first African-American promoted to four-star general, the highest rank in the U.S. Army. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Air Force)
Colin Powell - Colin Powell, a four-star Army General, was also the first African-American appointed in 2001 as Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush, and the only African-American to have served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1991. Powell served tours of duty during the Vietnam and Korean Wars, and has been honored with 11 military decorations, including the Soldier's Medal and a Purple Heart. (Photo: Courtesy United States Government)
James Mifflin - Civil War-era mess cook James Mifflin of Virginia defended the USS Brooklyn during the Battle of Mobile Bay on Aug. 5, 1864. He supplied ammunition under a blanket of enemy fire, an action that earned him the Medal of Honor. (Photo: Wikicommons)Doris "Dorie" Miller - Doris "Dorie" Miller was a cook aboard the USS West Virginia when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Miller heroically carried wounded soldiers to safety then manned a machine gun to hold off enemy fire. For his efforts, Miller was awarded the Navy Cross. (Photo: Courtesy www.history.navy.mil)

Next Gallery

The Best Black Celebrity Looks From NYFW That Shut Down the Runway and the Streets

9 Photos

4 / 10

Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James Jr.  - A graduate of the Tuskegee Institute, Gen. Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. went on to execute 101 combat missions during the Korean War and 78 combat missions into North Vietnam, leading a sweep in which seven Communist aircrafts were destroyed — the highest total kill of any mission during the Vietnam War. On Sept. 1, 1975, Gen. James became the first African-American promoted to four-star general, the highest rank in the U.S. Army. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Air Force)

ADVERTISEMENT