1945
Carl enlists in the U.S. Army
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“Carl’s World War II Dogtag, Laminated Identification Card, and Discharge Papers” Cordi Stokes Loan.
These items are on display in the exhibit at the Western Reserve Historical Society. Carl carried the wallet and wore the dog tag when he served in the United States Army in Germany in 1945. His daughter Cordi Stokes loaned these items to the museum for the exhibit.
“Carl Stokes far left first row, Ralph Nuckles second left first row at Fort McClellan, Alabama September, 1945; Carl Unprocessed Collection, WRHS”
Both Louis and Carl served in the segregated U.S. Army in World War II.
While neither saw combat action (though Carl served in the occupation
forces in Germany), they experienced for the first time the harsh realities
of a segregated South where their training camps were located. Later in
life both recalled with disdain the way that the army treated them as
second class citizens. Upon their return to civilian life many former
soldiers, such as the Stokes brothers and their cousin Linton Freeman,
began to vigorously pursue the struggle for Civil Rights.