National
F.M. Hooper, Jr., 83, of Wilmington, N.C., left, shares a laugh with fellow marine, Theodore Peters, 89, of Chicago, Ill., before the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony on Wednesday, June 27, 2012, in Washington, D.C. House and Senate leaders awarded the medal to the Montford Point Marines, the first African-American Marines to serve in combat. (Andre Chung/MCT)
MCT
Nathaniel James, 71, chapter president of Camp LeJeune, as well as a former national president, attends the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony Wednesday, June 27, 2012, in Washington, D.C. House and Senate leaders awarded the medal to the Montford Point Marines, the first African-American Marines to serve in combat. (Andre Chung/MCT)
MCT
Otis Allen, Sr., 89, of Indianapolis, Ind., who served in the Marines from 1943 - 1946, looks over a commemorative poster Wednesday, June 27, 2012, in Washington, D.C, as his grandson, 1st Sgt. Richard Allen, active duty, looks on. Sgt. Allen was given leave from Okinawa to escort his grandfather to the ceremony. House and Senate leaders awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the Montford Point Marines, the first African-American Marines to serve in combat. (Andre Chung/MCT)
MCT
House Speaker John Boehner presents the Congressional Gold Medal to William McDowell, representative of the Montford Point Marines, as Rep. Corrine Brown of Florida looks on, Wednesday, June 27, 2012, in Washington, D.C. House and Senate leaders awarded the medal to the Montford Point Marines, the first African-American Marines to serve in combat. Pictured in rear from left: Rep. Allen West of Florida Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and Sen. Richard Burr, (R-N.C.) (Andre Chung/MCT)
MCT
General James F. Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, greets Leon Moten, Jr., 89, of Las Vegas, Nev., during the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony on Wednesday, June 27, 2012, in Washington, D.C. House and Senate leaders awarded the medal to the Montford Point Marines, the first African-American Marines to serve in combat. (Andre Chung/MCT)
MCT
Breaking a tradition of 167 years, the U.S. Marine Corps started enlisting Negroes on June 1, 1942. The first class of 1,200 Negro volunteers began their training three months later as members of the 51st Composite Defense Battalion at Montford Point, a section of the 200-square mile Marine Base, Camp Lejeune, at New River, North Carolina. Photo shows "boots" (new recruits) learning to drill. (Library of Congress/MCT)
Cleo Florence, 88, is one of the surviving members of the Montford Point Marines, the first African Americans to serve in the Marines. He is seen here, top center with face circled, with his division that served in Guam during WW II. Only about 120 of the nearly 20,000 African Americans who trained at the segregated Montford Point in Camp Lejeune are still alive. Florence was stationed in Guam from 1943-46. (Shawn Rocco/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT)
Raleigh News & Observer/MCT
Cleo Florence, 88, is one of the surviving members of the Montford Point Marines, the first African Americans to serve in the Marines. He is seen here serving in Guam during WW II. Only about 120 of the nearly 20,000 African Americans who trained at the segregated Montford Point in Camp Lejeune are still alive. Florence was stationed in Guam from 1943-46. (Shawn Rocco/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT)
Raleigh News & Observer/MCT
Breaking a tradition of 167 years, the U.S. Marine Corps started enlisting Negroes on June 1, 1942. The first class of 1,200 Negro volunteers began their training three months later as members of the 51st Composite Defense Battalion at Montford Point, a section of the 200 square mile Marine base, Camp Lejeune, at New River, North Carolina. Photo shows raw recruits ("boots") getting their equipment upon joining the Marines (Library of Congress/MCT)
John Phoenix, 83, is one of the surviving members of the Montford Point Marines, the first African Americans to serve in the Marines. He is seen here serving in Vietnam in 1968. Only about 120 of the nearly 20,000 African Americans who trained at the segregated Montford Point in Camp Lejeune are still alive. Phoenix served for 22 years, fighting in both the Korean and Vietnam campaigns. (Shawn Rocco/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT)
Raleigh News & Observer/MCT
John Phoenix, 83, left, and Cleo Florence, 88, photographed in Burlington, North Carolina, June 20, 2012, are surviving members of the Montford Point Marines, the first African Americans to serve in the Marines. Only about 120 of the nearly 20,000 African Americans who trained at the segregated Montford Point in Camp Lejeune are still alive. Phoenix served for 22 years, fighting in both the Korean and Vietnam campaigns. Florence was stationed in Guam from 1943-46 during WWII. (Shawn Rocco/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT)
Raleigh News & Observer/MCT
The late Montford Point Marine Mike Woods, a founder of the Camp Lejeune Chapter of the Montford Point Marine Association. Woods granddaughter, Lynette, resides in Jacksonville. More recent photos of Woods are available upon request.
Montford Point Marine Norman Preston, 90, of Wallace serves on the Board of Adjustment for the town of Wallace
MCT
Attached is a photo of the late Montford Point Marine James Johnson, formerly of Jacksonville. Also attached are his enlistment papers. As a Montford Point Marine, Johnson paved the way for many black Marines to follow in his footsteps including his youngest son, "Charlie" Johnson, a second generation U.S. Marine. Charlie Johnson was commissioned in the Marine Corps in 1984. He retired as a Lt. Colonel from Camp Johnson (formerly Montford Point) in 2009. He will attend the Congressional Gold Medal ceremonies in Washington and is available for interviews.
McClatchy
Joseph Cobb died May 31, 2012. He was planning to attend the CGM ceremonies with his daughter Sonnae Scott. Ms. Scott will accept the medal June 28 on her father's behalf. Cobb resided in New Bern.
McClatchy
Breaking a tradition of 167 years, the U.S. Marine Corps started enlisting Negroes on June 1, 1942. The first class of 1,200 Negro volunteers began their training three months later as members of the 51st Composite Defense Battalion at Montford Point, a section of the 200-square mile Marine Base, Camp Lejeune, at New River, North Carolina. Colonel Samuel A. Woods, Jr., is the commanding officer of the 51st Composite Defense Battalion. He is shown inspecting a section of his troops. (Library of Congress/MCT)
McClatchy
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