Struck Out

At Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, a Negro seaman found out that color was a bar to advancement, no matter what the books said.

The station's daily bulletin had announced a call for "strikers"* in the aerological branch. The requisite: a high-school education. A dozen bluejackets applied for admittance to the aerological school. The Negro seaman's interview with the personnel officer went like this:

Personnel Officer: "Have you had physics?" (Recommended but not required.) The bluejacket had.

P.O.: "Have you ever had any calculus?" (Not required.) He had.

P.O.: "How much schooling have you had?" He had a college degree.

P.O.: "Have you had home economics?" The applicant had to admit that he had not. Said the P.O.: "Well, I'm sorry, but that's required here. Rejected." End of interview.

* "Striking" equals "bucking" (Army) or "snapping in" (Marine Corps), i.e.. trying for a higher rank or rating.

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