They were the first African-Americans to enlist in the Marine Corps and they trained right here in North Carolina.
Between 1942 and 1949, these 20,000 men trained at Camp Montford Point, a segregated section of Camp Lejeune.The Montford Point Marine Association credits the ABC Owned Television Stations' call to action for helping produce the largest group to receive replicas of the Congressional Gold Medal since 2012. The storytelling reached people around the world who are related to Montford Point Marines, the first Black recruits to join the Marine Corps.
On Friday morning, 54 families gathered at the Montford Point Marine Memorial to honor the veterans who served in the face of racial prejudice and segregation."They forced people to see the content of their character, not the color of their skin," said North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein.Fayetteville native Major Aaron Lee flew in from Germany to accept the medal on behalf of his grandfather who passed away before his grandson could follow in his footsteps of service.
A Durham family accepted the award on behalf of their uncle and father. They all wore Carolina Blue, which was his favorite color.Gilmer's brother cried tears of joy.The iconic statue at the Montford Point Marine Memorial is a reminder of the fighter spirit of these heroes. It's something Wake Forest resident Lance Roller says puts him at a loss for words.
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