The Legacy of Bernard Benedict James, A Soldier Who Stood Tall
How one man demanded respect as he gave respect, instead was imprisoned.
Bernard Benedict James, 1921–2022 leaves a legacy to be honored not only in the military but as a man who sought justice in a world that held back justice against its many perpetrators of racism.
James was a soldier and later worked on Apollo and Mercury space missions. While in the military he dared to question a white officer in the face of being convicted of mutiny and insubordination. This World War II veteran spent two years in prison as a result. A man can only be kicked so much before he starts to kick back. The military was notorious for its mistreatment of people of color.
James was a Harvard-educated aerospace engineer who had worked for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His legacy also included work done on two missions that sent astronauts into space. It appears his credits and contributions meant less to the military due to the color of his skin.
Up until the day he died, his family worked tirelessly for decades to clear his name to no avail as James died in his sleep on July 18 at his home at the age of 101. Shame on the military for not honoring this request to clear James’ name as he contributed greatly to the military and aerospace. Sorry, to say, if he was white, this story would have had a different ending.
His contribution to the military should have outweighed his speaking up on behalf of another soldier who had a verbal confrontation with a white commanding officer who was known for his racist antics against the men in the segregated 641st Ordnance Company who regularly called the Black soldiers the N-word.
As a result of his loyalty to his fellow Black military men, James was commanded to remove his stripes and several other men in protest of what was happening to James turned their stripes in also.
Not surprisingly, two months later, James and 17 Black soldiers were arrested as the military police officers with submachine guns swarmed the camp. James was sentenced to 18 years in prison but due to a letter-writing campaign by his family, James was released two years later without a formal apology.
After James’ release from prison, he returned to Army service and was honorably discharged in 1947, and during his time in prison, the military labeled him as AWOL for the 704 days spent in prison. Years later the military admitted that James was never AWOL, but never contacted him to apologize for their misdeed.
The military should be ashamed of their actions against James during his military service days and should have corrected their injustices against him. Instead of removing this blemish from James’ military service record, and due to the efforts of his family, the Army provided a “partial” correction to his military record which was done when he was 100 years old.
This was an atrocity and now James has transitioned never seeing the blemish completely removed from his service record. Mr. James never gave up the fight as he had planned to appeal the Army’s decision because he wanted and deserved a full correction to his record that reflected the truth that he was falsely imprisoned.
Joining his appeal process was California Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) who introduced a joint resolution in March to have Mr. James’s record cleared with a full presidential exoneration. Sorry, he did not live to see his name completely cleared on his military record. All that James contributed to the military, they returned their gratitude with a slap in the face.
James was born February 7, 1921, in St. Louis but spent his formative years in Chicago. His heritage was mixed with Creole, Black, and Cherokee. He was educated at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and Wilson Junior College in Chicago, and worked as a junior engineer draftsman. After being drafted during World War II by the Army, he served as a technician in the European theater.
His life after the Army, he returned to school, first at the University of Michigan and later at Harvard. He went on to have an illustrious career in the aerospace industry-including his contribution to designing the capsules that carried astronauts on the Apollo and Mercury space missions.
James was a brilliant mind that enjoyed fencing, chess playing, fishing, swimming, cooking and sharing meals from his family’s Creole culture, and sharing stories of his past that were embellished with French and Spanish.
James had ten children who were proud of the mathematical skills that he shared with them along with his brilliance, and how one of his fellow astronauts and personal friend, Walter Schirra, who was the first astronaut to go into space three times, upon James’ request attended his children’s school for a presentation. Needless, to say, his children were proud of their dad in the face of much criticism and racism because he was Black.
In conclusion, Bernard Benedict James died and never saw his name completely cleared by the Army but as he now rests in peace, he knows the truth as the Army’s guilt will forever live in their hearts. Better to be free with the truth, than live in a mental personal prison of lies.
Shame on the Army, as they wronged a “REAL” man of integrity and justice! The Army chose to allow James to die with a wrongful blemish on his military record. The military was racist then and racist now. May Karma return the on those who perpetuated such a misdeed.
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