Leon Gilbert facts for kids

Leon Aaron Gilbert, Jr. (born November 9, 1920 – died March 28, 1999) was a brave soldier from York, Pennsylvania. He fought in World War II and was a lieutenant in the 24th U.S. Infantry Regiment during the Korean War. This regiment was made up entirely of black soldiers.

Gilbert's story became very famous because he was put on trial by the military (called a court-martial) for not following an order. This happened after he refused an order from his white commanding officer. His case led to many protests around the world. It also brought a lot of attention to the unfair treatment and separation of black and white soldiers in the U.S. military.

Understanding Segregation in the U.S. Military

In the early 1950s, the U.S. military was still segregated. This meant that black and white soldiers were kept in separate units. Even though some rules were made to try and end this separation, they didn't work very well.

The 24th Infantry Regiment was an all-black unit. They were sent to the front lines of the Korean War right away. The fighting was very tough, and many soldiers in the 24th were hurt or killed. They also had trouble getting new soldiers and supplies, like shoes. At one point, the U.S. Air Force even bombed them by mistake, causing more injuries.

On August 6, 1951, a white officer named Colonel Arthur S. Champeny became the new commander of the 24th. He told them he wanted to change their reputation from "the frightened 24th to the fighting 24th."

Leon Gilbert's Story

I thought I was doing the right thing. I still think so.

—Gilbert, after sentencing

Leon Aaron Gilbert, Jr. was born in York, Pennsylvania on November 9, 1920. His father was a blacksmith who had also fought in World War I. Leon went to local schools and joined the U.S. Army on August 16, 1940. He served in Italy during World War II and left the Army honorably in 1946. He was called back to serve as a reservist in 1947. This meant he was an experienced soldier with ten years of service. He was married to his wife, Kay, and they had two children, with another on the way.

In the fall of 1950, Gilbert was in charge of Company A of the 24th Regiment. He took over after his commanding officer was wounded. He received an order to go back to a dangerous position with twelve of his men. Gilbert felt this order would lead to certain death for his men. He tried to explain why it was too risky.

Gilbert was suffering from extreme tiredness and stress from fighting for a long time. He wrote to his wife that they had gone thirteen days without food or water. When he refused the order, he was arrested and put on trial right there. He was accused of not obeying orders and being a coward. The military court sentenced him to death.

Gilbert later told The New York Times his side of the story:

I did not refuse to obey the order. I was trying to explain why it couldn't be carried out. There were twelve men in my command. Then I considered it my duty as an officer to show why the order meant certain death.

Worldwide Protests and Clemency

When people heard about Gilbert's death sentence, there was a huge wave of protests around the world. In the U.S., important groups like labor unions, church leaders, and the American Legion got involved. The National Negro Council gathered 600,000 signatures on a petition asking for his pardon.

Because of all the public pressure, President Harry S. Truman changed Gilbert's sentence. Instead of death, he would go to prison for 20 years with hard labor (meaning difficult work). He also lost his military rank, pay, and pension.

In September 1952, Gilbert's sentence was reduced again to seventeen years for "battle misconduct." He ended up serving five years in prison. This was the longest sentence allowed for disobedience when a war was not officially declared. He was then released.

After Lieutenant Gilbert's court-martial, many other black units in the 24th Regiment faced similar mass court-martials. However, white units did not face the same actions.

Thurgood Marshall, a lawyer for the NAACP, wrote about the situation. He said that many black soldiers were being unfairly treated because of racial discrimination. He felt that some of them were being blamed for problems that were not their fault.

In 1996, an official Army report looked back at the 24th Regiment's performance. It noted that the regiment, like many white units, struggled in the early Korean War. The report said there were many reasons for this, including a strong enemy, old equipment, lack of experience, and leadership problems. It also stated that the soldiers themselves were not lacking in courage.

The incident deeply affected Leon Gilbert. His father died while he was in prison. Five years after he was released, his wife divorced him. Gilbert went back to his hometown of York, remarried, and lived a quiet life until he passed away. He never stopped trying to clear his name, but it was difficult. However, his last years were made happier when his old comrades from the war found him. They welcomed him back, showing that they believed in him. As one of them said, "No matter what was written, no matter what was said, we know the facts. We were there."