Ft. Lawton soldiers get back pay

President Bush on Tuesday signed Defense Department legislation with a provision that would award back pay plus interest to the families of African-American soldiers who, during World War II, were court-martialed for involvement in the 1944 rioting and lynching of an Italian prisoner of war.

The court back then found 28 soldiers guilty, with two convicted of manslaughter for the death of the prisoner.

In 2007, after an investigation by Seattle author Jack Hamann that resulted in a book about the event, the Army Board of Corrections ruled that the soldiers had been denied a fair trial.

Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle, sponsored the legislation.

Earlier this year, the Army held a ceremony at Fort Lawton to apologize to the families of surviving soldiers. Two surviving soldiers came to Seattle, but one — Samuel Snow — fell ill and never made it to the ceremony. He died a few hours after his son brought his honorable discharge plaque to his hospital room.

Snow had received a check for only $725 after the board rendered its decision, but under the new bill his family should receive about $80,000, according to a calculation by The New York Times.

"Justice has prevailed, but more than that, the dignity, courage and honor lived by Samuel Snow ... and other African-American soldiers throughout a half century of racial injustice. ... "

McDermott said. "While no amount of money can ever repay the lost opportunities endured by these African-American soldiers, they would be the first to say it was never about money, it was always about equal protection under the law for everyone in America."