James Gilliam, a former member of the famed Buffalo Soldier regiment in World War II, was reissued medals that were lost for many years.
Senator Chris Coons presented the Bronze Star Medal and four other decorations Friday to an Army soldier who fought in World War II and went on to become a leader in the civil rights movement.
Retired First Lieutenant James Gilliam served with the Buffalo Soldier regiment, which was made up of primarily African American service members. He fought with the unit during two Italian campaigns in the war.
Gilliam fought with the primarily African American regiment during two Italian campaigns during the war. He says receiving the medals gives him an opportunity to draw Americans’ attention to the discrimination many minorities faced during World War II.
"They are very, very good at what we call selective amnesia," he said. "They remember what they want to remember and forget very easily the reality of what happened."
[caption id="attachment_66900" align="alignright" width="219"]https://www.wdde.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/gilliam-medals-219x300.jpg James Gilliam's medals for serving in the armed forces. Gilliam served during World War Two and the Korean War.[/caption]
Some of Gillian’s awards were indeed missing, while some were never presented to the officer in the first place. Senator Coons and his office helped to relocate and reissue the medals.
Coons said at Friday’s ceremony that re-presenting the awards helps to shine light on the hypocrisy many minority service members faced in World War II.
"Just think about the experience of serving in the United States Armed Forces and to fight against fascism and tyranny in Europe only to return home to Jim Crow,"
Gilliam also served for the Army in Germany during the Korean War, and since then Gilliam has worked as a businessman and public servant in addition to his civil rights advocacy work.