March 1951 The Army’s nine training divisions were integrated by this time, after a "trouble-free and permanent" conversion period which began late in 1950. Fort Ord was the first training division "to adopt the expedient of mixing black and white inductees in the same units for messing, housing, and training."

manpower shortages. Maintaining separate training facilities required a staff of 40 to 60 officers for the training of as few as 20 Negroes. The post commander Major-General Robert T. Frederick approved this common sense plan of integration.