Congressional Gold Medal Awarded to First Black Marines
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United States Marine Corps/AP Photo
When the Rev. Norflette Mersier became a U.S. Marine, it was not so easy. His mother feared he would get killed in battle. His commanders would not let him go see his wife when he was picked for overseas duty. But perhaps the biggest obstacle Mersier faced was the rampant racism that existed when he joined the Marines in 1942.
Mersier is one of the roughly 19,000 black Marines who trained at Montford Point Camp, a facility set up specifically for blacks after President Roosevelt desegregated the Marine Corps. Based in Camp Lejune, N.C., the camp was established the same year Norflette joined the Marines, at the height of segregation.
“There was always a racial slur being thrown at us, because we had a white instructor,” Mersier, 87, recalls. And black Marines often “felt that people were taking advantage of us.”
The Montford Point Camp has received little attention. But today, 62 years after the camp closed, black Marines like Mersier were honored by Congress. The U.S. House of Representatives granted the nation’s highest civilian honor, the congressional gold medal, to Montford Point Marines, with a unanimous vote.
“I had to somewhat hold back tears. It’s a long time coming. … Something you look forward to, wonder if you are going to make to live long enough to see it,” says retired Sgt. Ruben McNair, 86, who came to Washington, D.C., today to attend the historic event.
House members gave a standing ovation to the Montford Point Marines, saluting them for their service to the country.
“Negro marines are no longer on trial, they are Marines,” said Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Mo.
At the height of World War II, about 75 percent of Montford Point trainees served overseas, but the racism went beyond U.S. borders, Mersier says.
When they were deployed to Okinawa, the 2,000 black Marines who served there were rarely called for physical fighting. Instead they were used mainly to bring supplies in, he recalls.
At home, the mental abuse of segregation was exacerbated by physical abuse.
“Our DI’s [drill instructors] were at liberty to do anything they chose to do to us except break our legs,” he recalls. “They had no restrictions at all. They were very hard on us. We got kicked. We got slapped. We couldn’t do anything except say ‘Yes, sir’ and accept it.”
The black Marines were also not allowed to visit neighboring Camp Lejeune unless they were with a white officer, or eat meals with their white counterparts.
The racism and physical hardship was so unchecked that retired Sgt. Earl Evans, Jr. says he felt safer on the battlefield in Korea than he did at home.
Montford Point was deactivated in 1949 after President Truman issued an executive order barring segregation. In 1974, it was renamed Camp Johnson after one of its trainees, Sgt. Major Gilbert “Hashmark” Johnson.
The push for today’s congressional honor was spearheaded by Commandant Gen. James Amos, who took over his position in 2010. Amos has openly acknowledged that the recognition should have come years ago.
“It is long overdue, and we need to quit admiring this oversight and make this happen,” Amos said in a speech recently. “My promise to you this evening is that your story will not be forgotten. It will take its rightful place, and it will be forever anchored in the rich history of the United States Marine Corp.”
As part of this pledge, the history of Montford Point will be taught at all Marine Corps schools and training facilities.
ABC News’ Richard Coolidge, John Parkinson and Luis Martinez contributed to this report.
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Don’t fool yourself, racism is alive and well in America; did anyone say Tea Party?!!
Posted by: justuspofolks | October 25, 2011, 5:58 pm 5:58 pm
Racism is alive and well in America; did anyone say Tea Party?
Posted by: justuspofolks | October 25, 2011, 6:00 pm 6:00 pm
The new plantation owners, can you say the Democratic party !
Posted by: yeah, i said it ! | October 25, 2011, 6:40 pm 6:40 pm
Why are you trying to change history? The people back then made their own history and it is not up to us to change that. It doesn’t mean it was a good history but then today’s history isn’t all that great either. Does that mean 50 years from now we can expect people to make changes to today’s news. I hope not. I think stories like these is because it’s a black thing. blacks have the same rights as most everyone else in America and they just can’t get on with living with those rights. always blaming their history for their shortcomings. why should I have spent my life listening to all this bull?
Posted by: kathy | October 25, 2011, 6:47 pm 6:47 pm
Finally!!! It’s not about blacks reliving the past…it’s about them being acknowledged for what they have done for this country, even when they were being treated like crap by other races. They still went out on the battlefield so that you and I could have the right to write some of the things we do, and say some of the things we say. I’m so sick of Americans being unappreciative of the men and women of our fighting forces (no matter what race they are). We (YES!! I am a Marine), did this to keep our (mine and yours) liberties. There are some countries where none of these things are tolerated. Try moving there if you don’t like this country or the freedoms that were fought for – for YOU!!!
Posted by: Pamela | October 25, 2011, 6:56 pm 6:56 pm
I don’t see black or white…I see MARINES!! God Bless ‘em!!!
Posted by: Charles | October 25, 2011, 7:00 pm 7:00 pm
@Kathy, Yeah you must be tired of hearing stories like this because it reminds you of how your ancestors mistreated others and felt they were inferior to whites. I love stories like this because it reminds me of racism that exists today even though it is done in a subtle way because a white person can’t do what they did before the sixties has ended. In theory people of color do have the same rights but behind closed doors we don’t. The shortcomings in some aspect can be blamed on racism. So because some blacks was honored you call it bull and with the comment you made it only adds fuel to the fire. I am proud that they got honored even if it took years to do it.
Posted by: Lonewolf1044 | October 25, 2011, 7:02 pm 7:02 pm
Good for them, I am thrilled for these men! They deserve this and more . Its so heartwarming to see the pride in their smiles.
Posted by: Miz Mooz | October 25, 2011, 7:07 pm 7:07 pm
Kathy, I am unable to see into the future and like me, you have to wait for the future to see what it will reveal. One thing though, racism still exist and it comes in various packages. Those of us who have lived and suffered through it, know it when we see or hear it. Once burned, twice shy.
These aren’t stories, it is truth which needs to be dealt with. Those who forget their past are said to be doomed to repeat it.
Jews never forget their past but I don’t hear anyone telling them to get over it. People like us must remember so that we can recognize the old rascal when it rears its ugly head again.
Posted by: Relic | October 25, 2011, 7:19 pm 7:19 pm
Ms. D Sawyer:
I send a Texas size salute, for the wonderful icoverage/nformation concerning the four black U.S. Marines that our government are finally recognizing for their honorable efforts in WWII!, by awarding them the “Congressional Gold Medal.” I took found that there was still a bit of rascism in the early ’50s in my beloved Marine Corps, but got we got “it squared away, on the double!”
Posted by: moses p. saldana, sr. | October 25, 2011, 7:20 pm 7:20 pm
i am a WHITE vet. these guys are not vets they are combat vets and deserve a milatary award ,not a civilian award. but grats for the reconigition
Posted by: brett | October 25, 2011, 8:09 pm 8:09 pm
It’s always nice to see stories like this but it’s a shame that it always come 50 – 100 years late. Then America makes itself feel good by recognizing the good done well after most of the Soldiers, Airman, Sailor, and Marines are dead. Being a retired Sailor and Submariner I can relate seeing as how black Sailors back then could only be stewards. For you Kathy that would be a cook even though a lot were smarter then their fellow white sailors. And as Mr Saldana noted a bit of racism in the 50′s I faced it also in the 80′s. Kathy, lets not disrespect the Armed Forces, I have two other brothers who served but are dead now. One a Sailor and the other a Marine
Posted by: Ronald W Thomas Sr | October 25, 2011, 8:10 pm 8:10 pm
“Don’t fool yourself, racism is alive and well in America; did anyone say Tea Party?!!”…. And evidently so is idocy. Did you see the speech of the black Wall street Protestor throwing out all the hate toward Jews?? Easy to find if you “want” to find it. Now.. after you watch it.. does that mean “ALL” the Wall Street Protestors hate Jews??? Some people amaze me with their simple minds.
Posted by: anotherday | October 25, 2011, 8:13 pm 8:13 pm
I remember boot camp.. Parris Island.. 1982.. Plattoon 3028.. My Sr. Drill (SSgt Pate) told us that there was no White or Black Marines.. we were all GREEN. I served with a lot of Marines… I owe my life to several.. color means nothing when bullets are flying.
Posted by: anotherday | October 25, 2011, 8:16 pm 8:16 pm
Kathy, I am unable to see into the future and like me, you have to wait for the future to see what it will reveal. One thing though, racism still exist and it comes in various packages. Those of us who have lived and suffered through it, know it when we see or hear it. Once burned, twice shy.
These aren’t stories, it is truth which needs to be dealt with. Those who forget their past are said to be doomed to repeat it.
Posted by: American | October 25, 2011, 10:16 pm 10:16 pm
@anotherday, it’s one thing for someone to dislike or even hate someone. It’s another thing when a so-called “civilized”___”christian” nation approves, supports and even create laws to make that hatret legal. That’s what it was like then. Hatred and even crimes against individuals based on nothing more than the color of their skin were made legal, sanctioned and supported by the courts and judicial system. No white man could be convicted for murdering a black man and openly bragging about it. Things really haven’t changed all that much in 21ST century America. In fact, it seems as if America is regressing more and more back to those days these honorable men, who served their country and served it well, were once made to endure.
Posted by: pastistnotPAST | October 25, 2011, 10:25 pm 10:25 pm
I don’t know about the name being changed in 1974, when I completed Basic Training at Parris Island in Sept. 1975 my orders to MOS school stated Montford Point.
Tommy J. Sands
USMC 1975 – 1979
USAF 1980 – 1996
Posted by: Tommy Sands USMC/USAF (Ret) | October 25, 2011, 11:15 pm 11:15 pm
Reading some of the comments it is clear that some people don’t have an idea what the corp was like back in those days. I have always been proud to be a Marine I am glad to see it changing.
Posted by: Don USMC 3rd Div Vietnam | October 27, 2011, 11:17 am 11:17 am
The caption is incorrect. The Congressional Gold Medal has not been awarded to these special Marines as of yet. A similar bill has to be passed by the Senate and then signed by the President. The process unfortunately takes a long time.
Posted by: Govan Yee | October 27, 2011, 12:52 pm 12:52 pm
Now they need to continue on a sue the US military for breaking the law that forbids any officer from striking an enisted man.
Posted by: Eddie Haskell | October 30, 2011, 10:11 am 10:11 am