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7: The First to Jump: The Story of Walter Morris and the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion
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Date: August 14, 2024
Legacy Makers: Stories of Black Inventors and Icons
Title and Show Info
Episode #7. “The First to Jump: The Story of Walter Morris and the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion”
Featuring: Toni Davis (Host & Storyteller).
Summary
Step back into the 1920s, where the story of a boy born in Waynesboro, Georgia, will eventually become the tale of a trailblazer who redefines courage and determination. This is the story of Walter Morris, a young man raised during the unforgiving years of the Great Depression, surrounded by a loving family that instills in him the values of diligence, perseverance, and unyielding loyalty.
In our thrilling episode of "The First to Jump," we dive deep into Walter's early life, exploring the challenges and triumphs that shapes the man who will go on to lead the first all-African American paratrooper unit, the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion—better known as the Triple Nickles.
Picture this: It's the 1930s, and Walter is a teenager taking on responsibilities that most boys his age can't even imagine, all while apprenticing under his father, a skilled bricklayer. But as the economy crumbles, even the most skilled workers find themselves struggling. Young Walter is forced to face the harsh realities of a world that seems stacked against him.
As we trace Walter's journey, you'll hear about his decision to join the United States Army in January 1941. With the world engulfed in war, the Army represents a way out, a chance to escape societal limitations and prove himself. But what follows is a story of grit and resilience as Walter encounters the stark realities of a segregated Army, where African American soldiers are relegated to menial tasks far from the front lines.
In this episode, we'll explore Walter's early military days, marked by rigorous training and the heartbreak of being "washed out" just before completing Infantry Officer Candidate School. But instead of giving up, Walter makes a bold choice that changes everything: he joins the Service Company of Parachute School, where he starts to reshape his destiny.
Get ready to be inspired as we tell the story of a man who refused to accept the status quo, who dared to envision a different future for himself and his fellow soldiers. With wit, tenacity, and a burning desire to make a difference, Walter Morris begins a journey that will not only change his life but also pave the way for generations of African American soldiers to come.
Join us as we embark on this exciting adventure into the life of Walter Morris, the first African American to become airborne in the United States Army, as well the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, the first all-African American US Army airborne Battalion. An entire battalion of men who would not be defined by the limits of their time, but by the limitless possibilities they created for their future. This is "The First to Jump," where history meets heroism, and where one company's story becomes a legacy for us all.
Highlights:
01:00= INTRO
01:13= WALTER MORRIS’ BIRTH.
02:23= JOINS THE US ARMY.
03:07= US ARMY IS SEGREGATED.
03:20= “WASHED OUT” OF INFANTRY OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL.
03:57= PARACHUTE SCHOOL.
04:52= PRISONERS OF WAR.
05:25= DRAFTS A PLAN.
05:37= PRESENTS THE PLAN.
05:48= RESTRUCTURES THE COMPANY.
05:54= FIRST SERGEANT.
07:53= ACTIVATION OF THE 555TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY COMPANY. AN ALL-AFRICAN AMERICAN UNIT.
08:26= AIRBORNE SCHOOL.
08:58= 4- 1 WEEK PHASES.
10:14= 5 QUALIFYING JUMPS. EARNING THE JUMP WINGS.
10:44= FIRST SERGEANT & FIRST OFFICER BRADLEY BIGGS.
11:30= GRADUATION CEREMONIES BEGIN.
12:32= 555th REQUESTS VOLUNTEERS.
12:52= BECOME A BATTALION.
12:58= NICKNAMED THE TRIPLE NICKLES.
13:28= WALTER BECOMES A 2ND LIEUTENANT.
13:59= MARRIES.
14:54= MISSION TO FIGHT FOREST FIRES.
15:06= PENDLETON, OREGON.
15:24= FOREST FIRES TRAINING.
15:59= BOMB TRAINING.
16:30= PARACHUTE TRAINING.
17:15= ONLY ONE DEATH.
17:24= “SMOKEJUMPERS”.
17:51= SMOKEJUMPERS’ FOREST FIRE.
18:31= OPERATION FIREFLY.
18:31= REQUEST COMBAT DUTY IN THE KOREAN WAR.
19:48= 555TH NYC VICTORY PARADE.
20:05= HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE US ARMY.
20:16= BRICKLAYER.
20:30= TRIPLE NICKLES DEACTIVATED.
20:56= 1100 JUMPS & 30 FIRES.
21:09= EXECUTIVE ORDER 9981.
21:49= WALTER’S ACCOLADES.
22:20= WIFE DIES.
22:29= REMARRIES.
22:35= OFFICIALLY RETIRES.
22:43= WALTER COFOUNDS THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL ASSOCIATION IN PALM COAST, FL.
22:55= TAMPA-BASED 555TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY ASSOCIATION MEMBER.
23:10= WALTER PASSES AWAY.
23:45= WALTER’S GRANDSON GRADUATES FROM PARATROOPER SCHOOL.
24:04= MUSEUM EXHIBITS.
24:50= CONCLUSION.
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Links To Additional Resources:
Walter Morris Collection | Library of Congress (loc.gov)
Walter Morris (triplenickle.com)
Walter Morris and the “Triple Nickles” Jump into History - Picturing Black History
Highlighting the legacy of the U.S. Army’s first all-Black World War II paratrooper unit | WUNC
America's First African-American Paratrooper Unit (thedropzone.org)
Trailblazing paratrooper broke color barrier in secret - CNN.com
How Black Smokejumpers Helped Save The American West : NPR History Dept. : NPR
Monument, Circle of Firsts honor black Soldiers | Article | The United States Army
Walter Morris, Paratrooper born - African American Registry (aaregistry.org)
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