106:
of which an enlisted man was wounded" and of "being drunk and disorderly" (in his station at Oscoda Army Air Field). Following these convictions the Court of Claims found that Colman was administratively reduced to the grade of captain on
September 28, 1943, and placed at the bottom of the list of permanent captains on the promotion list and to remain there for three years. Additionally, he was suspended from eligibility for any temporary promotion for that period.
105:
case the proceedings before the general court-martial were summarised as finding Colman guilty of "two specifications of being drunk and disorderly" (at his station at
Selfridge Field), of "conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline", of "careless discharge of a pistol by reason
85:
on charges that included assault with intent to do bodily harm. Colman testified that his mind was blank and that he suffered from "a state of amnesia" for a period of five hours before and during the shooting. He contended that he was mentally ill at the time of the shooting and offered psychiatric
72:
a.m., Coleman called for a car to drive him along with his wife from the base to their home. Colman had reportedly issued a standing order that he was "never to be sent a Negro chauffeur". Unaware of the standing order, McRae, an
African-American soldier of the 44th Aviation Squadron, was dispatched
48:
driver, without provocation. He was convicted only on a reduced charge of careless use of a firearm and being drunk and disorderly, leading to protests over lenient treatment. The decision of the military court to reduce Colman's rank to captain led to protests over the leniency of the sentence.
73:
to pick up Colman and announced, "Your car is ready, sir." Colman then drew his .45 caliber automatic gun and fired three shots at McRae. McRae sustained two gunshot wounds in the abdomen. Following the incident, Colman was arrested and on May 5, or May 6, 1943, relieved of his command.
22:
100:
Colman was convicted on a reduced charge of careless use of firearms and of being drunk and disorderly but acquitted on the more serious charges. The court reduced Colman's wartime rank of colonel to his pre-war rank of captain. In a 1961
146:
poll of
Michigan newspaper editors, published at the end of 1943, Colman's shooting of McRae and his court-martial was ranked as the year's fourth most important news story in the state of Michigan.
139:
then announced that Colman was "being retired". Colman told the press he would be "glad to get out of here", said he had been targeted by "pressure groups", and hoped that would be "the end of it".
118:, director of the National Negro Council protested the lenient sentencing, calling it "equivalent to an acquittal" and an "outrageous and sorry spectacle of the miscarriage of justice." Congressman
154:
Colman later pursued legal action against the government over the negative impact of the demotion on his retirement pay. Colman's claim was sustained in part in 1961 by the
93:, as an "officers' club"; misappropriation of government property for use at the cottage; additional instances of drunkenness; and arranging a transfer for
86:
testimony that he had been suffering from "frequent headaches, spots before the eyes, ringing in the ears, dizziness, and was mentally irresponsible."
89:
The trial also included charges that Colman had engaged in unrelated misconduct, including arranging a transfer in exchange for use of a cottage near
677:
682:
561:
237:
82:
220:
491:
176:
692:
247:
33:
122:
of
Michigan called the court-martial a "whitewash", a "farce trial", and "an insult to the fighting forces of the United States."
136:
279:
155:
102:
672:
697:
467:
468:"Selfridge Field Colonel Found Guilty Of Shooting, Rank Reduced: Claimed He Knew Nothing Of Assault On Negro Driver"
368:
644:
687:
373:
114:
The verdict and sentence issued by the court-martial was widely criticized and triggered a "storm of protest."
344:
345:"House to Investigate Shooting at Selfridge: Commandant Removed and Arrested in Wounding of Private at Field"
320:
293:
62:
239:
The
Tuskegee Airmen Chronology: A Detailed Timeline of the Red Tails and Other Black Pilots of World War II
275:
628:
496:
216:
599:
444:"Colman's Aid in Transfer of Soldier Related at Court-Martial: Prosecution Says He Got Use of 'Club'"
393:
41:
623:
520:
448:
349:
131:
115:
29:
515:
68:
At a base picnic on May 4, 1943, Colman reportedly "got staggeringly drunk". At approximately 1
516:"Colman Now Out of Army Entirely: Review Board Completes Probe of Scandals at Selfridge Field"
243:
129:
ordered a review of the court-martial proceedings by a board of review. In
November 1943, the
58:
65:, from April 23, 1942, to May 5, 1943. He was 39 years old at the time of his court-martial.
472:
212:
143:
126:
90:
45:
575:
539:
423:
398:
197:
49:
After a further review by the
Secretary of War, Colman was removed from military service.
624:"Deposed Selfridge Commander Retired: Capt. William Colman Says He's 'Glad to Get Out.'"
652:
609:
604:
585:
580:
547:
525:
477:
453:
428:
403:
378:
354:
330:
119:
666:
37:
443:
418:
192:
325:
298:
419:"Colman Pleads Mental Illness at Army Trial: Amnesia Attack Before Shooting Told"
94:
21:
321:"Selfridge Quiz Near: Shooting of Soldier and Arrest of Leader Cause Probe"
32:
colonel
William Truman Colman (born October 10, 1903), commandant of the
564:. Appendix to Congressional Record. September 17, 1943. p. A3818.
178:
The
Tuskegee Airmen: History and Chronology In Text And Photographs
20:
562:"A Farce Trial: Extension of Remarks of Hon. Paul W. Shafer"
61:, was the commandant of the Selfridge Army Air Base near
181:. Air Force Historical Research Agency. p. 135.
540:"Negro Council Demand That Col. Colman Be Retired"
369:"Colman Enters Not Guilty Plea To Army Charges"
81:In September 1943, Colman was brought before a
546:. September 20, 1943. p. 10 – via
8:
608:. November 29, 1943. p. 12 – via
476:. September 18, 1943. p. 1 – via
394:"Court Martial Denies Colman Dismissal Plea"
135:reported that Colman had left the Army. The
584:. November 10, 1943. p. 1 – via
377:. September 7, 1943. p. 4 – via
193:"Private Shot; Colonel Held; Quiz Ordered"
97:at the request of a Ford Motor executive.
353:. May 7, 1943. pp. 1, 4 – via
645:"Detroit Race Riots Topped State's News"
44:William R. McRae. Colman shot McRae, an
514:Woodford, Frank B. (November 9, 1943).
509:
507:
265:
263:
261:
259:
167:
643:Applegate, T. E. (December 31, 1943).
329:. May 7, 1943. p. 18 – via
442:Woodford, Frank (September 9, 1943).
7:
392:Wiegmann, Carl (September 8, 1943).
225:. Simon & Schuster. p. 473.
417:Wiegman, Carl (September 7, 1943).
236:Haulman, Daniel (January 1, 2018).
271:William T. Colman v. United States
40:in 1943 for shooting and wounding
14:
576:"War Department Retires Colman"
500:. October 9, 1943. p. 151.
292:Compton, Loyal G. (June 1944).
242:. University of Georgia Press.
57:William T. Colman, a native of
632:. November 9, 1943. p. 5.
25:Col. William T. Colman in 1943
1:
678:Anti-black racism in Michigan
175:Jones, Jeffrey Frank (2015).
683:20th-century American trials
714:
651:. p. 10 – via
600:"The Colman Case Settled"
452:. p. 17 – via
402:. p. 16 – via
252:– via Google Books.
222:The Story of World War II
201:. May 7, 1943. p. 1.
53:Shooting of Private McRae
693:1943 in military history
524:. p. 1 – via
492:"Selfridge Field Trials"
427:. p. 3 – via
374:Dunkirk Evening Observer
63:Mount Clemens, Michigan
34:Selfridge Army Air Base
26:
629:Battle Creek Enquirer
544:The Gazette and Daily
497:Army and Navy Journal
83:general court-martial
24:
282: July 19, 1961).
276:292 F.2d 283
103:U.S. Court of Claims
673:Court-martial cases
42:Private First Class
16:1943 military trial
698:Trials in Michigan
521:Detroit Free Press
449:Detroit Free Press
350:Detroit Free Press
132:Detroit Free Press
27:
213:Miller, Donald L.
125:Secretary of War
59:Dunkirk, New York
705:
688:1943 in Michigan
657:
656:
649:The Herald-Press
640:
634:
633:
620:
614:
613:
596:
590:
589:
572:
566:
565:
558:
552:
551:
536:
530:
529:
511:
502:
501:
488:
482:
481:
473:Jackson Advocate
464:
458:
457:
439:
433:
432:
414:
408:
407:
389:
383:
382:
365:
359:
358:
341:
335:
334:
317:
311:
310:
308:
306:
289:
283:
273:
267:
254:
253:
233:
227:
226:
209:
203:
202:
189:
183:
182:
172:
144:Associated Press
127:Henry L. Stimson
91:Oscoda, Michigan
71:
46:African-American
713:
712:
708:
707:
706:
704:
703:
702:
663:
662:
661:
660:
642:
641:
637:
622:
621:
617:
598:
597:
593:
574:
573:
569:
560:
559:
555:
538:
537:
533:
513:
512:
505:
490:
489:
485:
466:
465:
461:
441:
440:
436:
424:Chicago Tribune
416:
415:
411:
399:Chicago Tribune
391:
390:
386:
367:
366:
362:
343:
342:
338:
319:
318:
314:
304:
302:
294:"Khaki Justice"
291:
290:
286:
269:
268:
257:
250:
235:
234:
230:
211:
210:
206:
198:Chicago Tribune
191:
190:
186:
174:
173:
169:
164:
156:Court of Claims
152:
112:
79:
69:
55:
38:court-martialed
17:
12:
11:
5:
711:
709:
701:
700:
695:
690:
685:
680:
675:
665:
664:
659:
658:
653:Newspapers.com
635:
615:
610:Newspapers.com
605:Tucson Citizen
591:
586:Newspapers.com
581:Palladium-Item
567:
553:
548:Newspapers.com
531:
526:Newspapers.com
503:
483:
478:Newspapers.com
459:
454:Newspapers.com
434:
429:Newspapers.com
409:
404:Newspapers.com
384:
379:Newspapers.com
360:
355:Newspapers.com
336:
331:Newspapers.com
312:
284:
255:
248:
228:
204:
184:
166:
165:
163:
160:
151:
148:
137:War Department
120:Paul W. Shafer
116:Edgar G. Brown
111:
108:
78:
75:
54:
51:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
710:
699:
696:
694:
691:
689:
686:
684:
681:
679:
676:
674:
671:
670:
668:
654:
650:
646:
639:
636:
631:
630:
625:
619:
616:
611:
607:
606:
601:
595:
592:
587:
583:
582:
577:
571:
568:
563:
557:
554:
549:
545:
541:
535:
532:
527:
523:
522:
517:
510:
508:
504:
499:
498:
493:
487:
484:
479:
475:
474:
469:
463:
460:
455:
451:
450:
445:
438:
435:
430:
426:
425:
420:
413:
410:
405:
401:
400:
395:
388:
385:
380:
376:
375:
370:
364:
361:
356:
352:
351:
346:
340:
337:
332:
328:
327:
322:
316:
313:
305:September 25,
301:
300:
295:
288:
285:
281:
277:
272:
266:
264:
262:
260:
256:
251:
249:9781603063418
245:
241:
240:
232:
229:
224:
223:
218:
217:Steele, Henry
214:
208:
205:
200:
199:
194:
188:
185:
180:
179:
171:
168:
161:
159:
157:
149:
147:
145:
140:
138:
134:
133:
128:
123:
121:
117:
109:
107:
104:
98:
96:
92:
87:
84:
76:
74:
66:
64:
60:
52:
50:
47:
43:
39:
35:
31:
23:
19:
648:
638:
627:
618:
603:
594:
579:
570:
556:
543:
534:
519:
495:
486:
471:
462:
447:
437:
422:
412:
397:
387:
372:
363:
348:
339:
326:Windsor Star
324:
315:
303:. Retrieved
299:The Atlantic
297:
287:
270:
238:
231:
221:
207:
196:
187:
177:
170:
153:
141:
130:
124:
113:
99:
88:
80:
67:
56:
28:
18:
95:Benson Ford
667:Categories
162:References
150:Aftermath
110:Reactions
30:U.S. Army
219:(2001).
280:Ct. Cl.
278: (
274:,
246:
142:In an
70:
36:, was
77:Trial
307:2022
244:ISBN
669::
647:.
626:.
602:.
578:.
542:.
518:.
506:^
494:.
470:.
446:.
421:.
396:.
371:.
347:.
323:.
296:.
258:^
215:;
195:.
158:.
655:.
612:.
588:.
550:.
528:.
480:.
456:.
431:.
406:.
381:.
357:.
333:.
309:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
