"We really believed sincerely that we were going to make our mark in this war and become able to claim our rights when we returned to the States." (Audio Interview, 14:24)
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Robert P. Madison
Robert Madison at time of his service, Italy
War: World War, 1939-1945 Branch: Army Unit: 370th Regimental Combat Team, 92nd Infantry Division Service Location: Howard University, Washington, DC; Fort Meade, Maryland; Camp Croft, South Carolina; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Huachuca, Arizona; Gallicano, Italy Rank: First Lieutenant Place of Birth: OH
An architecture student at Howard University on December 7, 1941, Robert Madison was also a member of ROTC. That allowed him to serve in the Army as an officer, but his rank didn't shield him from experiencing discrimination; he and his fellow black officers were segregated from the white officers. One benefit of his serving in Italy was to further his education in architecture. He was wounded while driving a jeep in December 1944, and a subsequent bout with tonsillitis shortened his service in the field. Lacking the points to go home when the war ended, Madison pulled various Occupations duties until May 1946. Back home in Cleveland, he experienced outright prejudice when trying to further his education in architecture, but he persevered and eventually opened a minority-based firm, the first in Ohio.