Black Marines Belatedly Honored

By DANIEL LIPPMAN

WASHINGTON—A group of African-Americans who were the first blacks to join the Marine Corps were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, a top civilian honor, in belated recognition for their service during World War II.

At a ceremony Wednesday in the Capitol's Emancipation Hall, lawmakers praised the men for stepping up to serve the country, even though they faced a segregated military and nation that didn't fully accept them.

"You were young, brave and committed to serving a country that did not yet appreciate your sacrifices," said Sen. Kay Hagan (D., N.C.).

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Associated Press

BELATED AWARD: Men who were among the first African-Americans to join the Marine Corps, after President Franklin Roosevelt ordered the Corps to begin recruiting blacks in 1941, were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, a top civilian honor, for their World War II service. At a ceremony Wednesday in the Capitol's Emancipation Hall, lawmakers praised the men for serving a segregated nation. 'You were young, brave and committed to serving a country that did not yet appreciate your sacrifices,' said Sen. Kay Hagan (D., N.C.).

The group is known as the Montford Point Marines, named for the swampy North Carolina camp where they trained, segregated from other marine recruits at the adjacent Camp Lejeune.

About 19,000 men trained in all-black units starting in 1941, when President Franklin Roosevelt ordered the Marine Corps to begin recruiting blacks, until 1949, the year after President Harry Truman ordered the entire military to desegregate.

More than 13,000 of the Montford Point Marines served overseas during World War II, primarily in the Pacific.

About 400 of the marines attended Wednesday's ceremony, traveling from around the country. The Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom are considered the nation's highest civilian honors.

William McDowell, a former first sergeant from Long Beach, Calif., accepted the award on behalf of the marines in attendance, who all received bronze replicas.

"It makes me feel good to be here today to see the advancement that the black Marines have made since I was in there," said Clarence Hunt, 86, of Louisville, Ky. "I never thought this day would ever come [because] I never thought they cared much about us."

The awards to the Montford Point Marines follow other examples of belated recognition of minorities in wartime. Both the Tuskegee Airmen and Navajo Code Talkers also received the congressional honor.

Military historian Michael Lanning said the black marines saw military service as a way to prove themselves to society.

"The Marine Corps was always considered the elite," said Mr. Lanning. "They wanted to be a member of it. They wanted to show that they could do anything that the white Marines could do."

Rep. Corrine Brown (D., Fla.), who sponsored the resolution giving the men the medal, said the marines "laid the groundwork as to what America should stand for before Jackie Robinson, before Martin Luther King."

Gen. James Amos, commandant of the Marines Corps, said the group is part of the "rich legacy" of the Marines.

"They answered our nation's call despite our society being deeply divided along racial lines," he said in a statement. "As such, their contributions went largely unrecognized and many times they were not given the respect and recognition they deserved."