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Navy Mess Attendant School
W Admiral Taussig Blvd, Norfolk,
VA ,
USA
Latitude & Longitude:
36° 56' 46.1544",
-76° 18' 59.0508"
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Virginia State
Historical Marker
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From 1933 to 1942, Navy recruits of African descent attended this school, located in barracks at Unit K-West and later at B-East. Advancement opportunities for these sailors and counterparts of Asian-Pacific Island heritage were then limited to serving as officer's cooks or stewards. The school moved to Unit X in 1942 before training was relocated to Bainbridge, Maryland, and elsewhere. Though racial segregation continued, all job ratings were re-opened to qualified personnel in 1942. Mess attendants were re-designated steward's mates in 1943, and more than 1,100 members of the messman~steward branch were killed during World War II. Norfolk trainees decorated for heroism include Navy Cross recipients Doris Miller, William Pinckney, and Leonard Harmon.
Last updated: 2/14/2015 15:17:00 |
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See all Virginia African American History locations.
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Navy Mess Attendant School Historical Marker Location Map, Norfolk, Virginia Map
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