Frazier International History Museum

Lattimore Cole was the son of a newspaper publisher. A bright student, he graduated high school at age 16 and began studying at Louisville Municipal College.

He left Louisville to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C. as an English Major, but the war interrupted his studies when he was drafted in 1943. He initially trained at Camp Lee, VA as part of the 173rd Chemical Smoke Generator Company, but was pulled from the unit – he later learned that this same unit had been sent to Normandy on D-Day, and many of his friends had perished.

Staff Sergeant Cole arrived in England in 1943, moving on immediately to Camp "Lucky Strike" in LeHavre, France, and ultimately into Germany where he was assigned to guard POWs. The segregation and racism he faced at home continued during his service – his all-black unit was led by white officers. Using his skills as a writer and speaker, he organized his men, wrote letters and met with committee members to get the situation changed.

"[Our company was] all African-American, except for the officers, they were all Caucasian ... there was an effort ... and I was ... involved, in petitioning for black officers. Well ... [the white officers’ reaction] was negative ... because when we got a black officer into the company ... there was a refusal ... to room [with him]. It didn’t take long before the [white officers] ... transferred out and new officers were brought in ... [We felt] a feeling of accomplishment."

After the war, Cole served in the South Pacific before returning home in 1946 to what he describes as a "cool reception." Despite his success in fighting racism in the military, he was still was not allowed to sit down and eat at White Castle back in Louisville.

Still, he said, he was glad to be home.