In January, we featured a blog post highlighting the efforts and continued diversity in the military. And while we were able to spotlight ethnicity and racial inclusion in our blog post, we wanted to celebrate and honor Black History Month by telling a bigger story and highlighting specific accomplishments of Black soldiers. While there are countless soldiers we could highlight, today we tout the achievements of three soldiers who displayed exceptional bravery and helped pave the road for future military members.
Melvin Morris
Every month, we put the spotlight on soldiers who went above and beyond in the call of duty to earn the highest honor in the military, the Medal of Honor. During the Vietnam War, Staff Sgt. Melvin Morris led an advance across enemy lines to recover the body of a fallen soldier. While advancing, Morris was shot multiple times, but despite his wounds, Morris managed to single-handedly, and without hesitation, destroy four enemy bunkers with a bag of grenades while also retrieving a case with maps and other documents that may have given the enemy an advantage had it been left behind. After a long delay, in 2014, Staff Sgt. Morris was presented with the Medal of Honor for this heroic effort.
Photo caption: An early portrait of Melvin Morris in the Army.
Oleta Crain
Oleta Crain served in the Women’s Army Corps and the Air Force. Her bravery went beyond the uniform as she worked to challenge the racism and segregation that once was a stain in the military. In World War II, 300 women entered training and only three of those women were Black. When the war ended, Crain was the only female Black officer to be retained by the military. During her service, Crain was vocal about racial segregation and discrimination in the military, and when she retired from the Army as a Major, she continued to fight for civil rights, specifically for Black women. Crain was posthumously cited by the U.S. Department of Labor during Black History Month in 2018 for her equal opportunity efforts during and after her time in the military. Her efforts to desegregate and pursue fair treatment for her fellow soldiers are an inspiration.
Alwyn C. Cashe
In Iraq in 2005, Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn C. Cashe rescued soldiers trapped in a burning vehicle while under enemy fire. Cashe’s uniform was soaked in fuel and caught on fire, resulting in second and third-degree burns. Despite the burns, Cashe continued to pull soldiers from the vehicle. With no regard to his own safety, he refused to be placed on the medical evacuation helicopter until all the wounded had been flown to safety. When Cashe regained consciousness in the hospital his first words were, “How are my boys?”. Cashe passed away weeks later and was posthumously awarded the Silver Star. In December 2020, H.R. 8276 was signed, which authorized the President to posthumously award the Medal of Honor to Alwyn C. Cashe for acts of valor while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
This Black History Month, and every month after, let’s all remember and honor the soldiers who fought to end segregation, for equality, and for diversity in the military. At IHG® Army Hotels, we are proud to champion inclusivity and diversity for our family of staff and guests.
