Better Than Good: A Black Sailor's War, 1943-1945 [Hardcover]

Adolph W. Newton (Author), Winston Eldridge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1999

Like many young men, Adolph Newton forged his parents' signatures at seventeen to join the Navy and fight the Japanese in the Pacific. But unlike others, Newton was black and became one of the very few African Americans to serve in the general enlisted ranks rather than as a mess attendant serving meals to officers and cleaning their quarters. In this intense, long-overdue memoir, he describes his life as a black seaman on an integrated warship, explaining how he attempted to deal with discrimination and personal freedom and how, despite the difficulties, he developed a lasting affection for the Navy. Newton's story is representative of a generation of African Americans who came of age during the war, needing to prove themselves by fighting for a country that had denied them the full benefits of citizenship. A landmark work, it is the first memoir to be published by a black sailor in the forefront of Roosevelt's order to integrate the Navy. Based on journals he kept during the war, the book retains the raw emotions and expressions of a young sailor in the 1940s. He speaks candidly of race relations and how his views evolved from conversations with southern blacks, confrontations with prejudiced whites, and encounters with Europeans. And his story does not stop at war's end. Unable to find civilian employment that utilized his technical skills, he reenlisted in 1946 only to find the Navy more rigid than during the war. His reflections on life as a young black man who knew that just being good was not good enough make an important contribution to the record. At the same time his recountings of misdeeds, including the ribald pursuit of "the perfect liberty" and its sometimes chillingconsequences, make entertaining reading.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The subtitle is not quite accurate, for Newton reenlisted after the war and served until 1948. From his first encounter with a naval recruiter to his final discharge, he was on the firing line during the excruciatingly slow integration of the navy's nonsteward enlisted ranks, needing to be "better than good" every waking moment. Newton certainly succeeded, becoming an accomplished engine mechanic and boat handler. He had to deal with bigots who seemed to hang from overhead like steam pipes. Sometimes he did it with words and wits, occasionally with more direct means. He had no use for naval bigotry and not much for naval justice in general. He is frank and almost breezy about his brig time and captain's masts, his pursuit of the traditional pleasures of a sailor on shore leave, and the fact that he got along with some of his white shipmates better than with some of the "Negroes." Such candor makes this warts-and-all portrait of a sailor and his navy all the more valuable. Roland Green

Review

It was one thing for government officials to declare a policy that gave enhanced opportunities to black sailors in World War II; it was quite another for individual navy men to achieve those opportunities in the face of entrenched attitudes and practices. Because this account of Adolph Newton's is based on a draft written soon after the experiences he describes, it crackles with authenticity--a sailor's story written in a sailor's language. The reader feels he is walking step by step with the author in his quest for fairness and dignity. -- Paul Stillwell, editor of The Golden Thirteen: Recollections of the First Black Naval Officers

This memoir of the Navy's transition from a policy of total exclusion of African-Americans to integration--in spite of racial segregation laws, customs, and attitudes in the country at large--makes a significant contribution to the field and will interest both World War II veterans and current naval personnel as well as social scientists and historians. -- Wesley Brown, first African-American graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press; First Edition edition (February 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557506493
• ISBN-13: 978-1557506498
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,474,410 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A valuable and honest memoir of integration in the U.S. Navy, March 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Better Than Good: A Black Sailor's War, 1943-1945 (Hardcover)

Adolph Newton joined the U.S. Navy during the Second World War by forging his parents signatures. In the service he became one of the first Black machinist's mates (MM) and was assigned to a maintenance unit in the Philippines. After the war, he reeenlisted in the Navy and served on a repair ship. His memoir is honest and personal, and includes frank descriptions of looking for (and finding) women and liquor in liberty ports around the world. Occasionally he even had to stand up for his right to fight for his country. He did suffer gratuitous racial insults and unfair discipline, and speaks candidly about his opinions about white folks. An interesting touch is his love of jazz and popular music; MM Newton frequently recalls what songs were popular at a particular time and even takes credit for exposing other sailors on his repair ship to bebop. The main shortcomings of this book can be laid to the publisher : no index, no maps, and no glossary. Overall, strongly recommended for those interested in the integration of the U.S. Navy and the common life of the naval enlisted man. Parents : if your child wants to use this for a school report, read it FIRST.