Fort Des Moines Military Overview

Fort Des Moines Overview

• Officially named "The Fort Des Moines Training Camp for Colored Officers."
• Opened on June 18 and closed on October 15, 1917.

Leadership at Fort Des Moines

• 1LT Jesse S. Heslip served as the Fort Des Moines Basileus.

Commissions Earned

• A total of 629 Black men earned military commissions ranging from Second Lieutenant to Captain at Fort Des Moines.
• Among the founders who earned commissions were 1LT Frank Coleman and CH Edgar Amos Love.

Establishment and Legacy

• Established under the leadership of the 5th Grand Basileus, James C. McMorris.
• 125 Omega men served in World War I, with ten initiated at Fort Des Moines and 28 initiated at Camp Howard.

Camp Howard Details

• Camp Howard dates: August 1 to September 16, 1918.
• The SATC program enabled college students to receive military training during WWI, leading to the establishment of a temporary chapter at Howard University.
• Twenty-seven men from eight colleges, including Biddle, Fisk, Morehouse, and others, were inducted into this chapter, helping to break barriers for African American fraternities at Southern colleges.