My Dad the Buffalo Soldier WWII

My Black History Month contribution:

My Dad Trooper Oliver Muldrew Jr. served in WWII in the Tenth Cavalry Regiment from 1941 to 1944 with the rank of Staff/Sgt. as a Buffalo Soldier. Buffalo Soldiers were so named by American Indians because of their hair which was like buffalo hair and their tenacity, fighting spirit, when backed into a corner. They were also peace makers between the Whites and the American Indians. They are peaces maker now.

A few Black men became highly educated with advanced degrees before joining the service to educate Black men who had not the opportunity to get a formal education. Some Buffalo Soldiers were Chaplains, Pastors, who were in the service of the Lord. I am a card carrying Buffalo Soldier Chaplain. I joined as a family member. Family members and others are keeping their memory alive and doing a good work.

I was surprised to find out I was a Buffalo Soldier Chaplain. While I attended Bible College in my last year I took a 7 week extended unit of Clinical Pastoral Education and became a Chaplain. I graduated from Bible College. I am highly educated even in computer software and hardware. I logged on to http://buffalola.com obeying my Dad. What an education I got and imagine how I felt to find out what God had planned for me and prepared me for all of my life!

TROOPER OLIVER MULDREW JR After graduation from High School, I decided to go to work instead of going to college because of my draft register status. 

I was drafted into the military in 1941, and inducted into the 10th Cavalry March 5,1941,and shipped to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, then to Camp Funston, Kansas for extensive training 

I was trained as a radio operator. The training was held at Midland Radio School in Kansas City, Missouri for three months and I was taught Morse Code; radio maintenance and related subjects. Upon graduation, myself and three other soldiers returned to Camp Funston. 

As soon as we returned to Camp Funston we were assigned to go on maneuvers to Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. We trained under full battle conditions with related groups of the 2nd Cavalry Division. After extensive training we returned to Camp Funston and made preparations to move to Camp Lockett, California for modern warfare training for two years. 

Our responsibilities at Camp Lockett, which was in the state of California, and adjacent to the Mexican border, were to protect the interest of the United States southern border against invasion of our enemies Japan or Germany. 

We trained at Camp Lockett in preparation for overseas duty. A decision was made by the high command to deactivate the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments upon our arrival in Oran, North Africa.

As a result of this, the lower ranking personnel in the 10th Cavalry were chosen to be Service Soldiers and the non-commissioned officers had the responsibility for shipping and replacement of service units to be used in other areas.

The port battalions and other service units were required by the military receiving command to be stationed in Italy.

We worked out of Naples, Italy, and the site was known as replacement depot("repo depo"). We spent most of our time taking care of needs of the soldiers stationed there. 

After we stay in Italy for two years, I was discharged in December 1945 from Fort Leonardwood in Bitterwood Missouri.

Trooper Muldrew lives in Los Angeles California. He has retired from US Postal Service. You can find him taking pictures of the LA Chapter's events. He is an active member of Los Angeles Chapter of the Ninth & Tenth (Horse) Cavalry Association.