Army posthumously promotes first Black colonel to one-star general

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Then-Maj. Charles Young while deployed to Mexico in 1916 fighting against Pancho Villa's guerrillas. Young, the Army's first Black colonel, was awarded a posthumous honorary promotion to brigadier general in November. (Library of Congress)

The Army has awarded a posthumous honorary promotion to the service’s first Black colonel, elevating him to brigadier general more than 100 years after his death, Army Times has learned.

Col. Charles Young’s career, which stretched from his West Point graduation in 1889 to his forced medical retirement in 1917 that kept him from fighting in World War I, “broke new ground time and again,” said Army Secretary Christine Wormuth in a statement to Army Times confirming the promotion.

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Lt Col Charlie Brown SSG Michael Noll Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Cpl Vic Burk SPC Margaret Higgins MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. PFC David Foster Sgt (Join to see) SGT (Join to see) PO2 Marco Monsalve LTC David Brown SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth ] SSG William Jones 1SG Dan Capri SPC Nancy Greene PO1 Tony Holland SrA John Monette SGT Mark Anderson LTC (Join to see)