Bernard
W. Pryor is believed to be the first African-American hired by the Army’s
Signal Intelligence Service. He had been a motorcycle messenger with
the Navy Department when he began his career in 1939 as a messenger
with SIS. By mid-1943 Mr. Pryor was the senior messenger of fifteen. In
1944 he moved to the personnel department most likely to assist the
Blacks that were being hired in increasing numbers. He remained in
Personnel until he retired in 1965.