Training Support Center (TSC) staff celebrated Black History Month in Building 3, coinciding with the monthlong national observance, Feb 22.

This year, the theme "Success Always Leaves Footprints," a quote from Booker T. Washington, recognizes and celebrates the exceptional and distinctive contributions and the unique histories and cultures our African-American/black shipmates bring to our Navy.

"Black History Month is an opportunity to reflect and remind us all of how far we have come, along with bringing to light the challenges that we still endure today," said Capt. Mark Meskimen, commanding officer of TSC. "Today we have as our honored guest Mr. LeArthur Dunlap, a 94-year-old World War II veteran and a 1942 graduate of the first black U.S. Navy Recruit Company in Great Lakes, Illinois. His successes in the military have left enduring footprints in our history that we all can be proud of."

Following boot camp, Dunlap was the honor graduate of his electrician's mate (EM) class in Hampton, Virginia, and was the first black EM and first black Sailor to earn a regular Navy rating other than a steward position. Dunlap served aboard minesweeper USS Egret (AMC 24) during the war.

"I wouldn't have done anything different," Dunlap said. "We knew that we were going to suffer discrimination. We knew we were going to suffer segregation, but I knew I wanted to join and be a Sailor to protect our country."

After World War II, Dunlap worked as a civilian with the State Department, assisting the American embassy and reconstruction efforts in Germany. He then enlisted in the U.S. Army and eventually achieved the rank of chief warrant officer 4, the highest CWO rank at that time. Dunlap has lived to personally witness the desegregation of the U.S. military and the civil rights movement in America.

"It is important that nobody forgets the 'firsts,'" Dunlap said. "There are a lot of people out there who were the first to break barriers. It is up to us to remind people that those barriers to prevent us from creating new ones in the future. I fought against racial prejudice to help bring about freedom, liberty, and fairness for all U.S. Navy personnel."

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