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The 372nd Infantry Regiment was a segregated African American regiment, nominally a part of the 93rd Division, which served in World War I under the French Army command, and also in World War II. In World War II, the regiment was not attached to a division, and served in the continental United States and Hawaii. In both wars, the unit primarily had African American enlisted men and white officers.
Offering an 8-page, ALS, from African American Chaplain C.R. Winthrop to his wife, Mary, dated November 4, 1942 from Chaplain’s School at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, on USO stationary with a printed tagline “Idle Gossip Sinks Ships,” a line that also appears on the cover with a Boston, Mass postmark of Nov. 8, 1942. Winthrop writes a detailed letter, which includes some elements of an African American’s life in the 1940s, where train seats were limited and people attending church services were surprised to see him in the pulpit. He also speaks of the rigid nature of the military for chaplains: “Formations permit no absences or tardiness.” He also mentions Leon Wright, who was a scholar, theologian, author and became the cultural attache’ to Burma. He joined Howard University and in 1952 received a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Winthrop writes: “...On Friday evening, Col. Goardin asked me what time was leaving for Boston saying that he had tried to get a train out of N.Y. for Boston 7:00 p.m. Friday. But there were no seats to be gotten. [Seats for African Americans on trains were limited.] He was to try again for 8 o’clock Saturday morning. I told him that I planned coming midnight Saturday. He said that I was wondering if I would go along with him if he drove up as he would if the train had no seats Saturday morning. As a consequence, I had to hasten through my work Saturday morning – left by car with him at 10:30 a.m. arriving in Boston 6 p.m., got to school by 6:30 p.m. registered in the building...Found here a chaplain who was a Sgt. in 372nd in last war. We talked until 3:30 Sunday morning. Rev. McGee of Council is also here.
“Sunday Morning, I went to Headquarters for official registration, leaving headquarters at 11:00 a.m. to go to Boston to church. You should have seen the faces as I entered the church and the faces of late come when they came in and saw me sitting in the pulpit. Everyone asked for you. But this visit to the church – when I met and what I saw and later heard is material for a letter rather than part of this.
“Now for the schedule in school. We are up 5:00 a.m., bathed and dressed. Room put in shape and out for calisthenics by 6:00 a.m. (dark and cold)...
“Devotional period in Memorial chapel 8:00-8:15 a.m. From this time we are in formations b sections (12 in number each of 36 or more men. This means that you do not go away from your section for anything. You march together to the first class. Army Morale...Then Courtesies and Customers of the Service...Practical duties...Map reading or Drill...Mail distribution...Lunch...Map Reading...Practical duties...Chemical war...Personal morale...Dinner...Supervised study...Taps on Tuesday and Thursday. Free Period...
“I hope that as soon as I become accustomed to this routine, I will be able to do more apart from class room work or preparation...
“I went last evening during the two-hour free period to get a haircut. While I was away, Dr. Bevins of Quincy called to invite me to speak in the First Presbyterian Church Quincy Sunday 11:00 a.m. and have dinner with his family and Rev. & Mrs. Knight. This might be alright but I am afraid that it will be but the excuse for each man that can get hold of me in the next three weeks to have me preach to his congregation...
“Love
“Charles...
“Well the mail did not go so I write on.
“Leon Wright is here at Harvard working on his PhD and then to go to Howard [University, at the time a school for African Americans] to teach Theology. We have met a number of times in the Dining Hall of Andover Building where the School of Theology is...
“We have two meals – lunch and dinner – in Andover Hall for those who can be accommodated...The food is good but we lose so much time waiting to be served. Thus the entire lunch period is spent in line waiting (cafeteria style) to get it, gobble it and run to make the formation for the next class. Formations permit of no absences or tardiness. You know that Harvard is predominantly men so we are not bothering with women or girls as we move about this area. I have met and talked with a few of the students, white and colored. In the morning I go to the Waldorf in Harvard Square for my coffee and fruit...”
Letter is in excellent condition. Cover bears a Free Frank, is soiled and has some wear. At least one of Winthrop’s letters is housed at Georgetown University.
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