Montford Point Marines Recognized

U. S. Senator (NC) Kay Hagan recognizes James Sharpe, one of many Montford Point Marines who served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the 1940s.
U. S. Senator (NC) Kay Hagan recognizes James Sharpe, one of many Montford Point Marines who served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the 1940s.

From Our Nation’s Capitol

By U.S. Senator Kay Hagan

I recently met Colonel Grover Lewis of the U.S. Marine Corps, who in 2005 became one of the first African American commanding officers in North Carolina. Colonel Lewis told me about the time he met an elderly gentleman named Glenn White. At the time, Mr. White’s health was failing. Yet upon meeting Colonel Lewis, Mr. White rose to his feet and stood at attention.

As he sat back down, Mr. White said “I never thought I’d see this in my life.” It was later, at Mr. White’s 2011 funeral, that Colonel Lewis recalled the encounter, saying it was the moment when he realized that he represented 20,000 black Marines who never had the opportunity to serve under a commanding officer who shared their skin color.

As we look back on 2012, the highlight of the year for me has been helping to bring recognition to some of the most historic and courageous veterans in our nation’s history—the Montford Point Marines. I worked to pass legislation to recognize this most deserving group of men, and this past June that recognition came in the form of the Congressional Gold Medal.

When these men first walked through the gates at Camp Montford Point in North Carolina in the 1940s, they were young, brave, and committed to serving a country that did not yet appreciate their sacrifices. A country that measured a man not by his courage or his dedication, but by the color of his skin.

Senator Kay Hagan recognizes the Montford Point Marines who served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the 1940s.
Senator Kay Hagan recognizes the Montford Point Marines who served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the 1940s.

Their road was not easy. Despite their intense training at Montford Point, they were prohibited from serving alongside their fellow Marines in combat. And to be allowed onto nearby Camp Lejeune, where their white counterparts were trained and based, the Montford Point Marines needed to be accompanied by a white Marine.

But the challenges and indignities did not weaken their resolve to serve their country. They did not stop James Patterson, who was one of the first African Americans to enlist in the Marines after President Roosevelt signed a historic executive order in 1941 that began to integrate the military. They did not stop Turner Blount, who, following his training at Montford Point, led a 24-year career in the Marine Corps, serving in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam. They did not stop the more than 20,000 other proud and dedicated patriots, the Montford Point Marines.

At long last, in 2012, these veterans finally received long overdue recognition for their sacrifices. In the face of intolerance and discrimination, the Montford Point Marines served our country with honor and distinction. And for that they are true heroes – heroes and trailblazers.

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