In December 1943, Chief of Staff General George Marshall, on the recommendation of Asst. Secretary of War John McCloy, authorized the formation of the first all black unit with black officers and men. The men, selected from the 92nd Infantry Division at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, became the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, the first all-black parachute infantry.
During the winter of 1944-1945, Japan sent over 9000 balloons carrying incendiary bombs across the Pacific to the west coast of the United States. The bombs would cause fires. The 555th PIB was deployed to combat the threat and put out the fires. The nature of the Japanese attacks were kept silent by the military and the missions of the 555th PIB were therefore kept secret as well.
Fortunately, no significant wildfires were created but the smaller ones kept the battalion busy. Some of the bombs would detonate upon landing, but others could remain undisturbed for weeks before exploding. The 555th PIB combatted 28 fires during 1945, during which they only lost one man, who died during a jump.
After WWII, the battalion was transferred to Fort Bragg, NC and became attached to the 82nd Airborne Division. When that battalion was disbanded in December 1947, they were transferred to the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. The 555th PIB was officially disbanded in August 1950, but many of its members volunteered to form an all-black unit since the Army was segregated then. Although President Truman had ordered the integration of the Army in 1948, the military was slow to comply.
Many of the 555th PIB fought in the Korean War in other units.
