11. The Men of the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion
In 1942, the US Army created the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion – a segregated specialty unit of black soldiers – as part of the Coastal Artillery Corps. The unit used barrage balloons to protect American GIs from low-level strafing and dive-bombing by enemy planes. To accomplish their tasks, they were trained to make flammable hydrogen gas, gauge wind speed, predict weather patterns, and learn other skills necessary to keep their balloons in the air.
On June 6th, 1944, the men of the 320th stormed the beaches of Normandy – the only black combat unit on D-Day – carrying silvery balloons. They had quite the experience in the run-up to that day, on the eventful day itself, and during the ensuing Normandy Campaign.