By Glenn A. Knoblock
For as long as an American naval force has existed, black sailors have served it with bravery, distinction, and little recognition. They were integral to development of the U.S. Submarine Service, and though their roles were limited by segregation, black submariners were a key element of the “Silent Service” throughout World War II. With desegregation came expanded opportunities, the birth and evolution of the nuclear-powered submarine, and some of the tensest moments of the Cold War.
This history of African American submariners Chronicles their service from World War II through the 1975 abolishment of the steward rating, to which they had been limited. Extensive commentary about life as a submariner includes biographical profiles of 82 men, most of whom also supply oral histories.
