In this photo, African American veterans of the Vietnam and Korean wars, all of whom received a Purple Heart during their service, stand together during a ceremony in Virginia honoring their sacrifice. (Photo Credit: Courtesy Max OdenThe News Advance)

Historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) have produced numerous officers with a record of outstanding service. 

Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. (1920 – 1978) graduated from Tuskegee University in 1942. During the Second World War, James trained pilots for the all-black 99th Pursuit Squadron.  In 1975, he became the first African American to reach the rank of four-star general.

A 1974 graduate of Savannah State University’s Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) Program, Lt. Gen Walter Gaskin retired in 2013.

Retired Maj. Gen. LaWarren Patterson graduated from Norfolk State University in 1982, receiving a commission as a second lieutenant in the Signal Corps.

Retired Army chief information officer Lt. Gen Ferrell enlisted in the Army and attained the rank of sergeant before enrolling at Hampton University. Upon graduation in 1983, he was commissioned into the Signal Corps.

Retired Lt. Gen Larry Wyche received his commission as a Quartermaster officer from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi ROTC in 1983.

Gen. Darrell K. Williams is a graduate of the Hampton Institute ROTC program. He was commissioned into the Army Quartermaster Corps in 1983.

Gen. Craig Crenshaw earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Southern University, Baton Rouge. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in 1984 through the NROTC Program and began his career as a logistics officer with 3d Force Service Support Group, Okinawa, Japan.

In 1985, retired Rear Admiral Willie Metts graduated from Savannah State University with bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering technology and was commissioned via the NROTC. He last served at the U.S. Cyber Command as director of intelligence.

Gen. Mark A. Brown, commander, Second Air Force, was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program at Tuskegee in 1986 with bachelor’s degree in accounting.

1988 Morgan State University alum Raymond Scott Dingle was promoted to Brigadier General September 2015, making him the 16th General Officer to graduate from the school.

Lt. Gen. Michael X. Garrett, commanding general, U.S. Army Central Coalition Forces Land Component Command, holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Xavier University.

Gen. Patrick Burden, deputy program executive officer, Ammunition, and senior commander, Picatinny Arsenal, holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Alabama A&M University.

Brig. Gen. Donna Williams, deputy commanding general, – Support at the 412th Theater Engineer Command, also holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from an HBCU. She graduated from Jackson State University. 

Brig. Gen. David Hamlar attended Howard University College of Dentistry as a National Health Corps scholarship recipient.

Historically Black Colleges and University and Names of African- American General Officers
 

Alabama A&M

Alcorn State University

Bowie State University
MG (Ret.) Robert Harding

Central State University
MG (Ret.) Fredric Leigh
MG Fred C. Sheffey

Elizabeth City State University

Florida A&M University
MG Eugene Cormartie
MG William Russ

Fort Valley State University
MG Jerome Johnson

Grambling State University

Hampton University
MG (Ret.) Wallace Arnold
LTG Robert Ferrell
MG Rudolph Francis
MG (Ret.) Arthur Holmes
MG Charles Hood
MG Darrell K. Williams

Howard University
MG Cunningham Bryant
BG Melvin Byrd
BG Nowell V. Coots
MG Frederick Davison
MG (Ret.) Robert Gaskill, Sr
MG Michael Harrison, Sr
GEN (Ret.) John Hawkins
BG Guthrie Turner

Jackson State University
BG Eddie Cain
BG (Ret.) Robert Crear
MG (Ret.) Reuben Jones

Lincoln University
BG Donald L. Scott
BG Julius F. Johnson

Mississippi Valley State University
MG (Ret.) Everett H. Thomas

Morgan State University
BG George M. Brooks
LTG Allen E Chandler
MG (Ret.) Arthur Dean
GEN Larry R. Ellis
BG Avon C. James
BG Talmadge J. Jacob
MG (Ret.) Thomas Levi Prather
MG Jackson Rozier*
LTG (Ret.) William “Kip” Ward
MG Bennie Williams

Norfolk State University
RADM Evelyn Fields
MG LaWarren Patterson
LTG Michael Rochelle

North Carolina A&T State University
BG (Ret.) Clara Adams-Ender
MG Charles D. Bussey
MG Reginal G. Clemmons
BG (Ret.) Voneree Deloatch
MG (Ret.) Hawthorne Proctor

Prairie View A&M University
LTG (Ret.) Marvin D. Brailsford
LTG (Ret.) Julius W. Becton, Jr.
Vice Admiral (Ret.) Dave Brewer
BG (Ret.) James Cheatham
BG (Ret.) Johnnie Forte, Jr.
MG (Ret.) Julius Parker, Jr.
LTG (Ret.) Billy K. Solomon
LTG (Ret.) Calvin Augustine Hoffman Waller*

Saint Augustine’s College

South Carolina State
BG (Ret) Nolen Bivens
MG George Bowman
BG Bruce Crawford
BG Richard Dix
LTG (Ret.) Henry Doctor*
MG Arnold Fields
BG (Ret) Amos M. Gailliard
BG Norman Green
BG Kenneth Hubbard
BG (Ret) Frederick Johnson
MG (Ret.) James Klugh
MG Larry Knightner
BG (Ret) Julius Lawton
MG (Ret) Harold Mitchel
BG Ervin Pearson
BG (Ret.) George Price
RADM John Smith
MG (Ret)  Clifford Stanley
MG (Ret) Abraham Turner
MG Stephen Twitty

Southern University and A&M College
LTG (Ret.) Joe Ballard
BG (Ret.) Sherian Cadoria
BG (Ret.) Don Delandro
LTG (Ret.) Edward Honor*
MG (Ret.) Charles Honore’
LTG (Ret.) Russel Honore’
BG Jude Patin
MG Gregory Rountree
MG (Ret.) Isaac D. Smith

Tuskegee University
MG (Ret.) Oliver Dillard
MG Ernest Harrell
MG Charles Williams

Virginia State University
BG Alfred F. Abramson III
BG Shelia Baxter
BG (Ret.) Leo Brooks
BG (Ret.) Alfred J. Cade
BG Charles R. Hamilton
BG (Ret.) Bert Holmes
MG (Ret.) Ernest R. Morgan
LTG (Ret.) Alonzo E. Short, Jr.
GEN Dennis Via
MG W. Montague Winfield

West Virginia State College
BG Frank Bacon, Jr.
BG Dallas Brown
MG Kenneth Gray
MG Edward Greer
BG Walter Johnson, III
MG James Monroe
MG Charles Rogers
BG (Ret.) Earl Simms
BG Robert Stephens, Jr.
MG (Ret.) Harvey Williams
MG Joseph Turner

Source: ROCKS Inc. 

Did You Know?

1. The first professor of Naval Science at Florida A&M University, Benjamin Hacker, went on to earn the rank of rear admiral.
2. In 2000, Hampton University commissioned the first African American female to enter the surface nuclear power community, Renee Reynolds.
3. The first graduating class from Prairie View A&M produced Adm. David Brewer, who went on to wear three stars before retiring.
4.  By the end of the war, the Tuskegee Airmen would be credited with 15,500 combat sorties and earn over 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses for their achievements. The successes of the Tuskegee Airmen helped pave the way for the integration of the U.S. armed forces.