I write books about the past, the present and the future!
My name is Samuel de Korte. As a historian I specialize in black American soldiers during the Second World War and Dutch soldiers during the Napoleonic wars. Past projects include writing the history of the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion, the first segregated combat unit to win the Distinguished Unit Citation. I translated the memoirs of a Dutch officer that served with Napoleon in Russia in 1812 and I wrote a book about the Tuskegee Airmen. In 2025 a book about the 452nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion will appear. Currently I am working on a book about the 777th Field Artillery Battalion.
Helen Gahagan Douglas, an ardent advocate for equality and justice, delivered a speech during World War II celebrating the vital contributions of Black American soldiers. Her speech is titled: “The Negro Soldier: A partial record of Negro devotion and heroism in the cause of freedom gathered from the files of the War and Navy Departments” and delivered in January 1946 before the House of Representatives. Her words highlight the courage and resilience of Black Americans in the fight against global tyranny.
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion holds a unique place in American military history as the only all-Black, all-female unit deployed during World War II. The battalion was comprised of 855 women, many of whom were members of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). They faced not only the challenges of military service but also the pervasive racism and sexism of the era. Their primary mission was to sort and deliver mail, which was backlogged due to the war. The unit was stationed in Birmingham, England, where they quickly went to work, processing over 17 million pieces of mail during their deployment.
I am currently on a writing retreat in Italy and I’m focused on my project about the 777th Field Artillery Battalion. In between working on that project, I thought I’d take a small moment to share something with you.
