The Golden Thirteen - Black History Month Feature [Image 3 of 7]

UNITED STATES

02.13.2023

Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Rebekah Watkins 

Chief of Naval Personnel

A graphic celebrating The Golden Thirteen for Black History Month (U.S. Navy Graphic by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Rebekah Watkins).

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How does your command celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth?
This month, we're celebrating with the stories of Sailors who have blazed the trail for future generations, and today we're recognizing a group of dedicated Sailors known as the Golden Thirteen.
The “Golden Thirteen” was comprised of Jesse Walter Arbor, Phillip G. Barnes, Samuel Edward Barnes, Dalton L. Baugh, Sr., George Clinton Cooper, Reginald E. Goodwin, James E. Hair, Charles Byrd Lear, Graham E. Martin, Dennis Denmark Nelson, John W. Reagan, Frank E. Sublett, Jr. and William Sylvester White.

In January 1944, there were nearly 100,000 Black Sailors in the U.S. Navy, but none were officers. That changed when a group of sixteen Black enlisted men were assembled at Recruit Training Center, Great Lakes, in Illinois for officer training that month.
The odds were initially stacked against them as there was still a strong sentiment within the Navy that African Americans could not succeed as officers. The normal officer training course was 16 weeks, however, these men were expected to complete it in eight – a move that they believed was an attempt to set them up for failure. The Navy also expected a 25% attrition rate, similar to that of white officer candidates. However, the group of 16 were determined not to fail, and supported one another throughout the brutal pace of the training.
Though lights out was at 2230 each night, the group placed blankets over their windows and studied together by flashlight, each man bringing his expertise to help strengthen the skills and knowledge of the others. When the course was over, all 16 passed their exams. In fact, their marks were so outstanding that some in Washington were certain that the men had cheated. When the group was forced to retake certain exams, they scored even higher, with an average grade of 3.89 out of 4–the highest average of any class in Navy history at the time.
Despite the fact all 16 had passed the course, the Navy still wished to only commission 12, or 75%, as officers. Twelve were selected, and a thirteenth was made a chief warrant officer, hence the nickname “The Golden Thirteen.”

To learn more about the Golden Thirteen: https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/diversity/african-americans/golden-thirteen.html

To learn more about how MyNavy HR’s N17 Office works to ensure all Sailors have the opportunity to succeed in today’s Navy, visit:
https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Support-Services/Culture-Resilience/

• Date Taken: 02.13.2023
• Date Posted: 02.13.2023 15:05
• Photo ID: 7631357
• VIRIN: 230213-N-UJ486-686
• Resolution: 2560x2560
• Size: 1.94 MB
• Location: US