Although blacks in uniform had fought in American conflicts throughout the country's history, including the Civil War, rarely had they been treated as equals

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(CNN) -- It took decades to fully integrate the U.S. military, but there is general agreement that what President Harry Truman did 50 years ago this weekend helped ignite the country's civil rights movement and put its largest armed service, the Army, in the forefront of race relations.

On July 26, 1948, Truman issued a then-controversial executive order that called for "equality of treatment for all persons in the armed services, without regard to race, color, religion or national origin."

Though African Americans in uniform had fought and bled for the United States throughout its history, rarely had they been treated as equals to whites. For that reason, 1948 was a milestone.

"It was good for the country and good for the services and it meant a great deal to a large number of citizens of the country," says retired Air Force Col. Charles McGee.

In World War II, McGee belonged to an all-black combat unit called the Tuskegee Airmen

In World War II, he belonged to the Tuskegee Airmen, a distinguished all-black combat unit established by the Army Air Corps in 1942. ( 136 K/11 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)

The Army is making quite a celebration of the anniversary. Retired Gen. Colin Powell -- the first black to serve as chairman of the Pentagon's Joint Chiefs of Staff -- was to speak on Friday night at the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri.

Defense Secretary William Cohen will be among those participating in a Washington commemoration.

Black volunteers helped the U.S. win the Battle of the Bulge in World War II

But perhaps the high point of anniversary observances was Thursday's bestowal of Bronze Star medals on five African-American World War II veterans.

They were among 2,221 blacks answering Gen. Dwight Eisenhower's emergency request in 1944 to serve in the front lines with units depleted in the fight against Germany.

The opportunity to be the first black soldiers to serve with white troops on the front lines came with a catch, however. The volunteers had to give up their noncommissioned officer's stripes and serve as privates.

When they returned to their units at the end of the war, their lost rank was not restored.

After the war, when the military decided to award the Bronze Star to all who had served as combat infantrymen, these men were not contacted.

Through contacts by black veterans organizations and individual letters, the Army learned of its oversight and took steps this year to correct the record.

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But along with the celebrating come racial complaints. Among them: too few black officers and friction between whites and blacks over promotions and job assignments.

The army's highest-ranking African American, Gen. Johnnie Wilson, says he has seen some slippage on race issues. Complacency will breed distrust within the ranks that "could mean a fatality on the battlefield," he told CNN. ( 264 K/23 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)

In May, Cohen said the service of African Americans in the U.S. armed forces is both a moral imperative and a military necessity.

Fifty years ago, President Truman apparently believed much the same thing.

"To Serve My Country, to Serve My Race: The Story of the Only African-American WACs Stationed Overseas during World War II" by Brenda L. Moore "The African-American Soldier: From Crispus Attucks to Colin Powell" by Michael Lee Lanning "Colin Powell: People's Hero" by Reggie Finlayson "The African American Soldier" by Michael L. Cooper "The Buffalo Soldiers" by Taressa Stovall Click here for additional reading on Military African Americans