70th Anniversary of the Order to Desegregate the Armed Forces

WASHINGTON, DC JUL 11: Sam Graham (age 87) joined the Army in 1948, the year that Truman issued the executive order to desegregate the Armed Forces. Graham took part in The Battle of Chosin Reservoir in North Korea from November 27th to December 13th 1950. It was a brutal 17-day battle in freezing weather and he suffered severe frostbite on his hands and nose. He still suffers from the effects of those injuries today. He gets emotional when he remembers fellow soldiers who froze to death in that battle. -For a story on the 70th anniversary of President Harry S. Truman's order to desegregate the Armed Forces, which was signed July 26, 1948. We talked to three veterans, who are African American who are now living at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C. The veterans talked about their experiences in the Armed Forces before Truman issued the order and what happened after the order was issued. (Photo by Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post via Getty Images)