First African American Marines Recognized

(AP)-The U.S. Marines, on Friday, August 26, 2011 gave some long-overdue recognition to the Montford Point Marines, the first African-Americans to serve in the Corps.

On the 69th anniversary of the day when the first group of black recruits began basic training in 1942, Marine Commandant Gen. James Amos hosted a breakfast for the veterans at Marine Barracks Washington near Capitol Hill.

His message to the pioneering Marines? Their story needs to be part of the service’s lore. “We’re going to fix it,” he said.

In 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed a directive allowing blacks to enlist in the Marine Corps. The recruits were trained at Montford Point, a segregated facility at Camp Lejeune, N.C.; in addition to the harsh regimen of boot camp, they faced the extra burden of serving in a part of the country where Jim Crow laws prevailed.

But unlike the legendary Tuskegee Airmen or the Triple Nickles, the Montford Point Marines never really got their due. Part of the reason was historical: The Montford Point Marines initially weren’t allowed to serve as infantrymen, and many were relegated to segregated defense battalions or assigned to steward units, where they served meals to white officers.

However, many Montford Point Marines eventually saw combat supplying the front lines in places like Saipan and Okinawa. And despite the Marines’ resistance to integration in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Marines of Montford Point also went on to fight in Korea and Vietnam.

To underscore the historical about-face, Marines are now pushing for lawmakers to confer the Congressional Gold Medal on the Montford Point veterans, to recognize their service. And during this morning’s ceremony, the Marines also read a White House proclamation honoring the Montford Point Marines.

“We were mistreated in every way possible,” said Edgar Cole, one of the veterans of Montford Point. “But we were young, and courageous, and loved our country.”

Asked how he felt about being recognized by the Marine Corps, Mr. Cole replied: “I can’t tell you how it makes me feel.”