Gerald A. Collins
In 1970, Elmo Zumwalt became the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). At forty-nine, he was the youngest CNO to that time in United States Navy history. A search of the many quotes attributed to the admiral revealed a remark, from Edmund Burke, which said, 'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing'Many African Americans who served in the aftermath of Zumwalt’s tenure say, 'That statement could be said to be the theme of his tenure .' Based on my own Navy experience, I would agree.From September 1965 through December 1989, I served directly in or was associated with the United States Navy. First as an enlisted, and later, in 1977, as an officer. In the Shadow of the Golden Thirteen, A Nice Negro Story is the story of my experiences attempting to achieve recognition for the men identified as the first African American commissioned and warrant officers in the United States Navy. It is also the story of how my seemingly innocent idea for recognition of their and other minority accomplishments heralded the destruction of my own career by some who considered their accomplishments as little more than 'a nice Negro story .'In retrospect, I must state, I am extremely proud of my association with the Golden Thirteen story. That pride stems from letters and remarks like this excerpted from one member, Mr . John Reagan dated April 27, 1982, in which he stated: 'I am still 10 kilometers high from that terrific ’Golden Thirteen’ reunion at sea. It is near impossible to express how much I appreciated the terrific job you did with and for us and indeed for the Navy and recruiting service .'Despite the personal hurt, I have endured these past decades as a result of the reunion, I can think of few things in my life that mean more. - GAC
