Discriminatory policies limited military service opportunities for African-Americans in all branches of service during World War II.  African-Americans served in segregated units and the majority were assigned to non-combat duties.  Combat units, in most cases, were white only.  Exceptions existed such as the 332nd Fighter Group (Tuskegee Airmen) of the 15th Air Force whose meritorious service greatly exceeded the expectations placed upon them.  In addition, African-Americans in support units in all services distinguished themselves in combat during the war whenever the need arose.  Apart from those who served in segregated units, some African-Americans with light complexions successfully passed themselves off as white in order to serve in units and positions from which African-Americans were barred.  As we observe Black History Month, special focus is given to an airman named T/Sgt. Calvin C. Davis who did just that: took it upon himself to cross the racial barrier to serve on a bomber crew in the Army Air Force, a position not available for African-Americans. 

According to National Archives's records, Davis enlisted in the Army Air Corps on 15 May 1941.  He enlisted in Detroit, across the state from his native Manistee County, and declared his race as white.  Davis was eventually assigned to the 5th Air Force, 90th Bomb Group, 400th Bomb Squadron and arrived in New Guinea for duty on 30 June 1943.  He flew 50 missions as a B-24 radio operator with the 90th.  He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his part in the actions of his crew on 29 August 1943 for leaving their formation with their aircraft damaged to provide protective fire for other damaged American bombers.  In April 1944, a Michigan paper reported that Davis had also been recommended for the Silver Star. 

After completion of his tour of duty with the 90th Bomb Group, Davis volunteered for a second combat tour.  He was assigned to the 8th Air Force, 390th Bomb Group, 570th Bomb Squadron where he continued to serve as a radio operator.  On the 30 November 1944 mission against Merseburg, intense flak over the target damaged their B-17, 42-97407 nicknamed "ASTERISK," and wounded several of the crew, including the pilot and co-pilot.  The lead bomber for their formation, also severely damaged by flak, rammed into ASTERISK.  Their B-17 broke in half and plunged to the earth killing most of the crew including Davis.  Only three men escaped to become POWs.  Davis was credited with completing 62 missions between the Pacific and European theaters at the time of his death.  Although the circumstances of his enlistment violated the official policies of his day, he served courageously with distinction and is honored for making the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedom of all Americans. 

by Teri Bell  

Article courtesy of Savannah Morning News

As most of you know, I am a big fan of the family dinner table.

I am aware that I raised my children in the dark ages (i.e. pre-cell phone era) but we all ate dinner at the same time and at the same table. Most of those nights the dinner plate was Styrofoam and the meal was simple. We had frozen pizza, hotdogs and Hardee's fried chicken more nights than I care to admit - but we had it together and that was what was important.

The dinner table was also a time to teach our children manners, family history and that vegetables are good! After dinner the children usually scattered to their own rooms to watch their own television, but for a short period of our day we were a family unit. After they began to leave for college, they still came home on Sunday nights to have dinner, sometimes bringing other starving college students who were craving a family meal. I just loved having my children around the table, eating, laughing and loving. I always knew those were precious times but this past November, the reality of just how precious they were became even more real to me.

On Nov. 6, my daughter, Loraine Womble, was killed in an automobile accident. She was 30 years old. I have spent many hours since that date thinking of our times together. So many of the memories involve food! The youngest of three children, she joined our table first in my arms, then in a high chair, and finally a chair of her very own on the right side of our round table, next to me.

Loraine marched in the school band and I took over running the concession stand. She traveled with Carolina Crown, a Drum and Bugle Corps. I cooked for her and the other 199 people traveling with her for three summers in a row. I opened a restaurant; she came to help with the books part-time and usually had lunch with me. Holidays, vacations and weekends evoke memories of our times together around a table eating and talking.

I was just one of the many cooks in Loraine's life. Her grandmother, Shirley Womble, took care of her when I went back to work. Shirley cooked a big lunch every day for Loraine's grandfather and father. Up until she was old enough to go to school, Loraine was a part of those meals. Loraine moved to Savannah in her junior year of college and remained here after graduating, but she returned to Claxton to have lunch with her Grandma as often as possible. She loved her Grandma's cooking - and rightfully so. Then, of course, she had the pleasure of my mother's cooking on holidays and on many weekend visits. Her entire life was filled with tables of good food surrounded by family.

This past Christmas, as my sons, their wives, and my parents gathered around the table for our Christmas feast, Loraine's absence weighed heavily on all of us. Like the missing man in a flight formation, our table was painfully incomplete. For 30 years Loraine had been at the table with us and now she was gone. We lit a single candle in memory of her, wiped a few tears and feasted together - keenly aware of the fact that we never know if it will be our last meal together here on Earth. We savored the food and cherished the blessing of breaking bread together like we never have.

It was my dear friend and amazing photographer who said to me: "Let's write about Loraine's favorite foods." I mulled it over for a while but I wasn't so sure that her favorites were gourmet enough for a food column. They were just simple foods that she loved, perhaps because she shared them with the people she loved and perhaps that is why they are column worthy. Your family will not remember or want to recreate the gourmet meals. It will always be the simple, everyday meals they will want to share with the people they love.

Loraine had a new beau and was enjoying introducing him to the foods she grew up on. She would call me, almost giddy, after she cooked for him to tell me what she had cooked for him and how much he enjoyed it. Like her mother, her grandmothers and her great-grandmothers, she learned how to say "I love you" at the table. The recipes below are two of the first things she cooked for him.

It is my prayer and hope that you and your family will find the time to come together for a short period of time each day around the dinner table. Please remember to savor each moment and morsel because there is no guarantee of tomorrow.

Teri Bell is co-owner of Miss Sophie's Marketplace at the Mighty Eighth in Pooler. Go to sophiesmarketplace.com.

Shrimp & Eggplant

This is Loraine's grandmother's eggplant casserole. At some point they started adding shrimp and created a totally different dish. You'll be surprised how good the two flavors are together!

1 medium eggplant, peeled & diced (approximately 2 cups)

4 cups water

1 stick butter, melted

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup grated cheddar cheese

½ cup chopped bell pepper

1 cup evaporated milk (not condensed)

1/2 pound shrimp, peeled & deveined

2 cups crushed saltines

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil; add eggplant. Boil for 5-8 minutes, drain and set aside.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter, eggs, salt, pepper, onion, cheese, bell pepper, evaporated milk and saltines.

4. Add eggplant and shrimp to bowl mixture and mix well.

5. Pour into a greased 2 quart baking dish and bake 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Stuff

My grandmother made this, but there was no recipe. I made it for my children and called it that hamburger stuff. Eventually, it just became affectionately became known as "Stuff." It is a quick easy meal for a cold night. You'll be surprised how something so simple can be so good!

1 pound ground beef

Salt & Pepper

3 or 4 medium size red potatoes cut into bite size pieces

8 oz block of sharp cheddar cheese, cut into chunks.

In a Dutch oven, brown ground beef, seasoning with 1 teaspoon of salt. Drain beef and return to pot. Add cut potatoes to ground beef and add just enough water to cover the potatoes (3 or 4 cups) Add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring ground beef and potatoes to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, approximately 15 minutes. Using a ladle, remove water, all but about 2 cups. Add cheese cubes to pot and return to heat, stirring constantly until the cheese is melted. Taste for seasoning and enjoy!