How prevalent and integrated were non-white people in the US Army's paratrooper regiments?
Is there any reason to believe the ratio would be significantly different from the 10:1 white to non-white from the 1940 census?
I've read a bit about the 555th battalion, that was designed as an all-black force, but I don't know if black paratroopers were reassigned to, or recruited into it.
The only African-American soldiers that were paratroopers served in their own, segregated unit. The 11th, 13th, 17th, 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, and the 517th PRCT were composed entirely of white troops during World War II. The only African-American paratrooper unit was indeed the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion as you have said. This unit was selected via volunteers; these volunteers were members of the 92nd (Buffalo Soldiers) Infantry Division, the famous African-American division still in training at the time at Camp Huachuca, Arizona. This battalion did not serve as combat paratroopers, but instead fought the Japanese in a different way. The Japanese were sending thousands of balloon bombs towards the U.S. Northwest. The 555th's job was to fight the fires that resulted from these bombs. Although the 555th fought many fires, none actually came from the bombs. After WWII and the integration of the armed forces, the 555th was disbanded and most of its troops assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. Other troops went to different parts of the 82nd.
Interestingly, black and white combat troops did serve together in the same units in World War II. During the spring of 1945, a severe shortage of troops (29,000 men, the rifle strength of about five divisions) existed in the ETO. Even before the Battle of the Bulge, there was a shortage. General John C.H. Lee, the commander of the Communications Zone, had planned to scrape up 20,000 personnel from his service units and train them as infantry replacements. General Lee then proposed adding Negro troops as well, and top army commanders agreed. By February 1945, 4,562 Negro troops had volunteered. The first 2,800 reported to the Ground Force Reinforcement Command in January and early February, after which the flow of volunteers was stopped.
By the beginning of March, the first men were ready, and were formed into 37 platoons of about 50-60 men each. An additional 16 platoons were later made.
The platoons were distributed as follows:
| Platoons | 6th Army Group | 12th Army Group |
|---|---|---|
| First Group | 12 | 25 |
| Second Group | 4 | 12 |
| Infantry/Armored Division | Platoons Received |
|---|---|
| 1st Infantry Division | 3 |
| 2nd Infantry Division | 3 |
| 8th Infantry Division | 3 |
| 9th Infantry Division | 3 |
| 12th Armored Division | 12 |
| 14th Armored Division | 4 |
| 69th Infantry Division | 3 |
| 78th Infantry Division | 3 |
| 99th Infantry Division | 3 |
| 104th Infantry Division | 3 |
| 106th Infantry Division | 3 |
The first platoons reached 12th Army Group immediately before the Rhine crossing and made an excellent account of themselves in the vicious fighting. In the vast majority of units, keeping the white and black troops from mingling was simply an afterthought.
Morale: Excellent. Manner of performance: Superior. Men are very eager to close with the enemy and to destroy him. Strict attention to duty, aggressiveness, common sense and judgment under fire has won the admiration of all the men in the company. The colored platoon after initial success continued to do excellent work. Observation discloses that these people observe all the rules of the book. When given a mission they accept it with enthusiasm, and even when losses to their platoon were inflicted the colored boys accepted these losses as part of war, and continued on their mission. The Company Commander, officers, and men of Company "F" all agree that the colored platoon has a calibre of men equal to any veteran platoon. Several decorations for bravery are in the process of being awarded to the members of colored platoons.
The Negro platoons of the 99th Division, characterized as employed "just as any other platoon,"
. . . performed in an excellent manner at all times while in combat. These men were courageous fighters and never once did they fail to accomplish their assigned mission. They were particularly good in town fighting and [were often used as the assault platoon with good results. The platoon assigned to the 393rd Infantry is credited with killing approximately 100 Germans and capturing 900. During this action only three of their own men were killed and fifteen wounded."
The 104th Division, whose platoons had joined while the division was defending the west banks of the Rhine at Cologne, commented: "Their combat record has been outstanding. They have without exception proven themselves to be good soldiers. Some are being recommended for the Bronze Star Medal."
General Edwin P. Parker of the 78th Infantry Division expressed a wish to obtain more Negro troops.
The infantry platoons in 12th Army Group were assigned three per division, with one platoon going to each infantry regiment. They were then sent as a fourth rifle platoon to an infantry company. Divisions that received platoons included the veteran 1st, 2nd, 8th and 9th Infantry Divisions, and the 69th, 78th, 99th, 104th, and 106th Infantry Divisions.
In Sixth Army Group, the first 12 platoons went to the 12th Armored Division, who organized them into three companies, one per armored infantry regiment. The four platoons of the second group went to the 14th Armored Division, who also made them into a company, and they served in Combat Command R.
Interestingly, these black troops appear in the 2014 film Fury on two separate occasions. The film depicts a tank crew of the 66th Armored Regiment of the 2nd Armored Division working with the 119th Infantry Regiment of the 30th Infantry Division. Black soldiers appear in the film in two separate scenes. There was no record of the 30th Infantry Division getting any black platoons, but as noted by my explanation above, the film is not technically "wrong"; black and white soldiers did serve together in combat units, just not the 30th Infantry Division.
Sources:
555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, The "Triple Nickels", US Army Center of Military History
http://history.army.mil/news/2014/140200a_tripleNickel.html
African-American Platoons in World War II
http://www.historynet.com/african-american-platoons-in-world-war-ii.htm
United States Army in World War II Special Studies, The Employment of Negro Troops: Chapter XXII: Volunteer Infantry Replacements, by Ulysses Lee (US Army Center of Military History)