WWII 80: The Yalta Conference | February 4, 2025
WWII 80: Highlights from the Truman Library
The Yalta Conference
February 4-11, 1945
80 years ago, three men mapped the end of World War II. Did they also pave the way for a Cold War?
From February 4-11, 1945, the Crimean resort town of Yalta hosted some of the most powerful men in the world. These officials did not come to Yalta for relaxation, however. In what was only their second (and last) meeting together, American President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin (along with other military and political figures of the “Big Three” nations) planned their final victory over the Axis powers and reached an agreement for governing Europe.
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“Nazi Germany is doomed. The German people will only make the cost of their defeat heavier to themselves by attempting to continue a hopeless resistance.”
WWII 80: The Battle of the Bulge | January 25, 2025
WWII 80: Highlights from the Truman Library
The Battle of the Bulge
Thursday, January 25, 1945
How did the Allied forces win the bloodiest American battle of the deadliest war in human history?
On December 16, 1944, at the beginning of a historically frigid winter, the Germans launched what would be their final major offensive of World War II. Over the course of six weeks, Allied forces thwarted the German armies’ attempts to split them. The Battle of the Bulge was the bloodiest battle for American forces on the Western Front during WWII – 20,000 Americans were killed in this battle; tens of thousands more were wounded, missing, or captured. Despite these great losses, the Battle of the Bulge ended with an Allied victory 80 years ago today.
Remembering President Jimmy Carter | December 29, 2024
STATEMENT BY CLIFTON TRUMAN DANIEL
ON THE PASSING OF PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER
Today, our nation mourns the loss of a beloved statesman, world citizen, Nobel Peace Prize winner, friend and neighbor.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Carter family, our friends and colleagues at the Carter Center and the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, and all those who loved and were inspired by him.
I am honored to have spent enough time with Jimmy Carter, the longest surviving president in United States history, to consider the ways in which the Plains, Georgia, farmer was like my own grandfather, Harry Truman.
As tributes pour in for a former president who will be remembered for his faith, his fidelity, his character and his global leadership on peace and human rights, I hope these recollections will help illuminate the character and humanity of America’s 39th commander in chief.
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Remembering Romay Davis | November 19, 2024
Remembering the Resolute Ms. Romay Catherine “Johnny” Johnson Davis and The Six-Triple Eight
By Colonel Eries L.G. Mentzer, USAF Retired
“Who is that?”
I was looking at a photo in the Air University Library of a gorgeous World War II Black female soldier. Lexi Aldridge, the Air University Librarian, enthusiastically replied, “Romay Davis. She is 101 and works at the local Winn Dixie grocer.”
My response was immediate. “Let’s go meet her.”
I never had the chance to visit the Winn Dixie, because the very next day Ms. Romay Catherine “Johnny” Johnson Davis came to Maxwell Air Force Base to meet me. Why? Because Ms. Romay, a former United States Army Private who served in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion in World War II, wanted to see for herself the first Black woman to command the base in her city of Montgomery, Alabama.
I would quickly learn that Ms. Romay was resolute in her actions—no doubt the key to her exceptional 104 years of adventures and happiness. She arrived at the base with Stacia Robinson, her friend of 35 years who previously served as a captain in the United States Air Force. Stacia has long been invested in Ms. Romay’s health and happiness.
Chief Master Sergeant Lee Hoover, my 42nd Air Base Wing Command Chief, joined me in greeting Ms. Romay with flowers. Instantly, we were captivated. First, Ms. Romay was even more striking than her official World War II photo. She was also quite audacious and very funny.
Colonel Eries Mentzer (right) and Maxwell Air Force Base Civic Leader Virginia Whitfield (center) present Ms. Romay Davis with flowers on her inaugural visit to the base in Montgomery, Alabama.
Ms. Romay shared stories of working as a young nurse, following her five brothers into service in World War II, riding a ship for the first time across the ocean (and navigating German submarines and munitions as it made its way to England and then France), and, finally, helping to resolve the United States Army’s wartime overseas mail crisis.
She earned the nickname “Johnny” from her 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion sisters, a play on her maiden name of Johnson.
Ms. Romay’s stories included her return from World War II service to New York. There were no accolades, parades or celebrations. Rather, her beloved uniforms were stolen from her car.
Credit: Romay Davis Collection
Like the rest of the world, she moved on. While in New York, Ms. Romay began a career in modeling and fashion design that would span 30 years. She lovingly spoke of meeting her husband, Jerry, who was from Alabama and of relocating with him to Montgomery, where she would spend the rest of her life.
In Alabama, Ms. Romay shared her talents in real estate, gardening and painting. She earned her black belt in taekwondo in her 70s, ran a vending machine business, and worked at the Winn Dixie until she was 101—just to connect with her community and exist with purpose.
Her stories were intriguing, colorful and funny. We did not want the meeting to end, but as she would often say, “I’ve got stuff to do.” So, our first meeting ended on her timeline, and we welcomed Ms. Romay as an Honorary Commander of the base, a symbolic title to establish a sustained connection between her and the Maxwell Air Force Base Airmen.
Fast-forward to March 2022. President Biden signed legislation to recognize the 855 women of 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion with the Congressional Gold Medal for their World War II service. On that day, Ms. Romay invited me to her home. Upon my arrival, she said, “Baby, the president is going to give me the Congressional Gold Medal, but I am not going to the White House. You are going to present it to me. Get it together.”
Again, resolute in her actions.
We selected July 26, 2022, as the presentation date, as it marked the 74th anniversary of Executive Order 9981, signed by President Harry S. Truman to desegregate the military. The exemplary service of Ms. Romay and the 6888th paved the way to Executive Order 9981, allowing greater equal opportunity for Black Americans in military service, and greater equal opportunity for me. As the first Black woman to command Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, being able to give back to the World War II generation that persisted to allow more Black women in service remains the highest honor of my career.
On the day of the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony, the United States Army Buffalo Soldier Riders escorted Ms. Romay to the venue. Large flags, hoisted by the City of Montgomery Fire Department, welcomed her. Airmen from the base stood with me rendering salutes in honor of Ms. Romay’s arrival.
Ms. Romay is greeted by the Buffalo Soldier Riders at her Congressional Gold Medal Recognition Ceremony on July 27, 2022. Credit: Michael McCoy
She entered City Hall though an honor cordon by the Alabama National Guard and Maxwell Air Force Base Honor Guard, an honor the President grants the most distinguished White House visitors. The ceremony included tributes from General Charles Q. Brown, the first Black man to serve as Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force; Lieutenant General Stayce Harris, who achieved the highest rank of any Black woman in the United States Air Force; Lieutenant General Mary O’Brien, who long served as the lead champion removing barriers for women in service; and Lieutenant General Gwen Bingham, one of the highest-ranking Black women in the United States Army.
The generals all thanked Ms. Romay for paving their path to service. The City of Montgomery Mayor’s Office, Congresswoman Terri Sewell’s Office, the Adjutant General of the Alabama National Guard, the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce, and other local dignitaries made special presentations in Ms. Romay’s honor.
As the ceremony’s host and keynote speaker, I had the honor of highlighting how the service of Ms. Romay and the 6888th made Executive Order 9981 and the Freedom to Serve report possible for generations of Black Americans. Freedom to Serve is the name of the 1950 report President Truman directed after desegregating the military, and it established the Department of Defense’s founding ideals of a fully inclusive military.
As a special tribute for the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony, we sourced every piece of Ms. Romay’s uniform from collectors to include the medals she earned during her service. A World War II footlocker was reimagined as a shadow box to display the collected pieces, replacing what was stolen from Ms. Romay in New York after the war. We also presented Ms. Romay’s Congressional Gold Medal Certificate from the White House.
Colonel Eries Mentzer and Chief Master Sergeant Lee Hoover presented Ms. Romay Davis with a WWII footlocker shadow box displaying replicas of her WWII uniform, in honor of her Congressional Gold Medal Recognition Ceremony in 2022. Credit: Jaxson Mentzer
After the ceremony, Ms. Romay took my hand, saying, “I never thought I would see my uniform again. I never thought anyone would care this much.”
I relinquished command of Maxwell Air Force Base a few days after the ceremony and relocated to a Special Operations base in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, but I maintained my connection with Ms. Romay through calls, updates from friends, and, whenever possible, visits.
One of those visits was at The National WWII Museum. To preserve her story for future generations, Edna Cummings—the United States Army retired colonel who led the effort to honor the Six Triple Eight with the Congressional Gold Medal—and I were humbled to highlight Ms. Romay and the Six Triple Eight in The National WWII Museum’s special exhibition on women’s military service, Our War Too. The video is currently showing at the museum, and a hologram of Ms. Romay preserves her story for future generations.
L to R: Eries Mentzer with her son, Jaxson; Stacia Robinson; Romay Davis; and Kim Guise in the “Our War Too” exhibit at the National WWII Museum. Credit: Eddy Mentzer
Every visit revealed a new, incredible story that always intrigued and made we wonder if I was living my own life to the fullest. Each visit made me wonder if I was worthy of Ms. Romay’s service and sacrifices for our nation.
I last spoke with Ms. Romay by phone as I departed Special Operations in June 2024. She struggled to communicate, limited by a recent stroke. What she could say was as resolute, entertaining, and engaging as always. As I said goodbye, I knew in my heart it was our final goodbye.
Stacia called me about a week later. Ms. Romay had passed peacefully in her sleep. I sat quietly on my back porch, but only for a few minutes. Ms. Romay’s words, “I got stuff to do,” literally moved me. I made a margarita (her favorite cocktail), then prepared my service dress uniform.
At her burial on June 28, 2024, at Fort Mitchell, I rendered a final salute as her brother Stansbury Johnson, also a World War II Congressional Gold Medal recipient for his service as a Montford Point Marine, received the U.S. flag from her casket.
Driving home, I passed other flags. Confederate flags. Nearly 100 years after Ms. Romay’s valiant WWII service—and the distinguished service of all Black Americans in our armed forces—it’s heartbreaking to know those flags still fly.
It was an incredible privilege to experience and to know Ms. Romay, and her story must now persist through us. May her life and service, and the 6888th, inspire us all to live with purpose, passion, enthusiasm, fearlessness, wit and determination.
Almost a century later, the WWII service of Romay Catherine “Johnny” Johnson Davis continues to inspire, now as a part of Tyler Perry’s new film, Six Triple Eight, which premiered on Netflix December 6, 2024.
Credit: Jaxson Mentzer
Col. Eries Mentzer is an Air Force Veteran with over 25 years of military service. A wife, mother and self-described “Status Quo Challenger,” she has persisted as often the first, only, or one of the few Black or female leaders in her formations. She is among an elite collective of military officers trusted to lead an American military base, securing the Freedom to Serve for more than 42,000 active duty, guard, reserve, civilian, and military families at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, while leading a three-county, 12-city region with more than $2.1 billion in economic impact. Her passion for advancing the Freedom to Serve (the title of President Truman’s 1950 report on the Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services) led her to find and implement more inclusive policies and practices to excite today’s generations to join or stay in the military. An executive leader and strategic advisor, Eries Mentzer works to identify barriers to service and ensure pride for the past doesn’t impact preparedness for the future. The Truman Library Institute proudly welcomed Eries to its Board of Directors in September 2024.
You might also like:
No Mail, Low Morale: The 6888th Central Postal Battalion
Truman Civil Rights Symposium, Washington, D.C. July 2023
Legacy Letter: Truman and Civil Rights
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The Berlin Airlift | September 27, 2024
Miracle in Berlin
By David Von Drehle
Washington Post deputy opinion editor and columnist
The fall of the Berlin Wall in November of 1989 marked an epoch in world history. It signaled the end of the Cold War and a victory of free societies over totalitarianism. But that day would never have come without the resolute decision of Harry S. Truman to save an outpost of freedom in Berlin four decades earlier. And Truman’s decision would not have been possible without the strength of the U.S. aircraft industry to deliver on his promise. This partnership produced a transformative event in aviation history, when, against all odds, a major city was entirely supplied by air for more than a year. Read More
The Missouri Compromise | August 1, 2024
How Truman Became the Nominee for Vice President
Harry Truman did not want to be Vice President and he wasn’t shy about saying so to anyone who asked him, from his colleagues in the Senate to members of his family. “It is funny how some people would give a fortune to be as close as I am to it and I don’t want it,” he wrote to Margaret on July 9, 1944, just 12 days before he would ultimately accept the Democratic Party’s nomination.
The Unwritten Record | June 25, 2024
No Mail, Low Morale: The 6888th Central Postal Battalion
“No mail, low morale,” or so the motto goes. Even before the founding of the 6888th Central Postal Battalion, the mail was piling up for the soldiers serving during World War II. The ever changing locations, duty stations, and movements caused a logistical challenge for getting the mail delivered on time.
First Family Stories: The Recognition of Israel | May 14, 2024
First Family Stories
By Clifton Truman Daniel
On May 14, 1948, President Harry S. Truman made one of the most momentous decisions of his presidency: recognizing the new state of Israel just minutes after its founding. My grandfather is justly celebrated for providing the legitimacy this nascent democracy required to survive, but his WWI buddy and former business partner, Eddie Jacobson, deserves credit, as well. This installment of “First Family Stories” is dedicated to a friendship that changed the world.
The Liberation of Dachau | April 29, 2024
The Liberation of Dachau
April 29, 1945
In April 1945, as the European war neared its end, one question loomed large: how would the Allies ensure that justice was served to the perpetrators of Dachau and other Nazi crimes against humanity?
Book Excerpt: The Watchdog | April 24, 2024
The Watchdog
How the Truman Committee Battled Corruption and Helped Win World War Two
By Steve Drummond
Winner of the 2024 Harry S. Truman Book Award
EXCERPT FROM THE WATCHDOG
Portland, Oregon, January 16, 1943
SATURDAY NIGHT WAS QUIETER THAN USUAL in war-booming Portland. A cold snap on Friday had killed two people in a storm that brought high winds and left a thin blanket of snow across the city. Temperatures were expected to sink into the low twenties.