Proudly We Served

Few Americans know the history-changing story of the USS Mason, a World War II warship manned by an African-American crew that served as a role model for the integration of U.S. Navy ships. At a time when most blacks in the Navy were relegated to mess duties, the crew of the USS Mason escorted six convoys across the perilous North Atlantic, from the weeks leading up the D-Day invasions until V-E day in 1945. As part of the so-called Hunter-Killer groups that defeated the German U-boats, they helped win the Battle of the Atlantic. Proudly We Served: The Men of the USS Mason tells the story of these brave men and their contributions to the Allied victory. Their success had a direct impact on President Harry S. Truman’s decision to integrate all of America’s armed forces after the war. Recommended in 1944 for a commendation for their heroic actions during a violent storm, the Mason sailors finally received that commendation in 1995, after the publication of this book in hardcover and the release of a companion documentary. The men and ship have been further honored by the Navy’s decision to name a new destroyer (DDG 87) after the Mason and propagate its proud heritage into the twenty-first century.