World War II Honoree

Joseph Louis Barrow, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lexington, Alabama

Honored By

Charles Henry Atkinson

Relationship

Cousin

INDUCTED INTO THE U.S. ARMY ON JANUARY 14, 1942 AT CAMP UPTON, NEW YORK ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1942. HE WAS RATED AN ATHLETIC INSTRUCTOR AND STATIONED AT FORT MEADE, MARYLAND AND CAMP SIBERT, ALABAMA. BEFORE GOING OVERSEAS TO EUROPE ON MARCH 30, 1944 HE SERVED WITH THE SPECIAL SERVICES DIVISION FOR 14 MONTHS. WHILE ASSIGNED AT FORT RILEY HE USED HIS POPULARITY AND CONNECTIONS TO GET JACKIE ROBINSON AND OTHER BLACKS ADMITTED TO THE OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL PROGRAM. HE ENTERTAINED MORE THAN 2,000,000 SOLDIERS BY HIS FREQUENT BOXING EXHIBITIONS AND TALKS. FOR HIS 'INCALCULABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE GENERAL MORALE,' HE WAS AWARDED THE LEGION OF MERIT. RETURNED TO THE U.S. ON OCTOBER 10, 1944 AND WAS ASSIGNED TO DUTY BOTH IN CANADA AND ALASKA. FOLLOWING THE END OF THE WAR, HE WAS DISCHARGED AT CAMP SHANKS, NEW YORK ON OCTOBER 1, 1945.