Leaping into the Sky

Wars are a tragedy. Death and destruction define them. War also provides opportunities in a time of change. This was true for America's black soldiers in World War II, who were relegated to menial tasks and denied combat roles. That is, until the U.S. Army conducted a highly secret experiment in 1944-1945 by creating the all-black 555 Airborne. Unknown by the general public, "men of color," participated in this classified effort, sacrificing everything to prove their competency and patriotism in