[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 80 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 80

  Commemorating the service to the Nation during World War II of the 
African-American members of the United States Marine Corps who came to 
                be known as the Montford Point Marines.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 1, 2005

 Mr. Evans (for himself, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. Snyder, Mr. 
Jones of North Carolina, Mr. Honda, Ms. Carson, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Scott 
   of Georgia, Mrs. McCarthy, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Bishop of 
Georgia, Mr. Towns, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Ms. Jackson-Lee 
 of Texas, Mr. Meeks of New York, Ms. Waters, Mr. Filner, Mr. Murtha, 
    Ms. Harris, Mr. Higgins, Mr. Payne, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. 
   Conyers, Ms. Kilpatrick of Michigan, and Ms. Millender-McDonald) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Commemorating the service to the Nation during World War II of the 
African-American members of the United States Marine Corps who came to 
                be known as the Montford Point Marines.

Whereas during World War II the Armed Forces, including the United States Marine 
        Corps, were racially segregated, with African-Americans serving in units 
        separate from other Americans;
Whereas African-American volunteers who enlisted in the United States Marine 
        Corps during World War II served the United States in a most honorable 
        fashion yet were subject to racial discrimination and harassment;
Whereas African-Americans who underwent Marine Corps recruit training at Camp 
        Lejeune, North Carolina, were crowded into segregated substandard 
        facilities for training separate from white Marine recruits at the 
        western-most portion of Camp Lejeune, in an area named Montford Point, 
        giving rise to these African-American Marines being referred to as 
        ``Montford Point Marines'';
Whereas the Montford Point Marines were initially trained and led by white 
        officers and noncommissioned officers;
Whereas the Montford Point Marines endured racial harassment even in combat 
        zones by fellow service members, including smoke grenades dropped into 
        their camp and harassment by the military police;
Whereas the Montford Point Marines and other African-American members of the 
        Armed Forces endured public comments and insults from a hostile military 
        and civilian leadership;
Whereas African-Americans from every part of the country continued to join the 
        Marine Corps throughout World War II while serving in segregated units 
        under duress without respect from the institution or the public;
Whereas during World War II African-American Marine Corps units fought and 
        served in the Pacific theatre, participating in the liberation of the 
        Ellice Islands, Eniwetok Atoll, the Marshall Islands, Kwajalein Atoll, 
        Iwo Jima, Peleliu, the Marianas Islands, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, and 
        Okinawa;
Whereas Time Magazine's correspondent in the Central Pacific, Robert Sherrod, 
        wrote that the African-American Marines first encountering combat in 
        Saipan as uninitiated units were worthy of the Navy's highest possible 
        combat performance rating of a 4.0;
Whereas these volunteers joined the Marine Corps to demonstrate their commitment 
        to a largely prejudiced nation, defied an unwarranted stereotype, and 
        achieved distinction through brave and honorable service;
Whereas their heroism, commitment, and valor changed long-held attitudes within 
        the Marine Corps and military leadership of the Nation; and
Whereas their heroism and sacrifices improved the treatment for future 
        generations of African Americans in a United States military institution 
        that today is widely considered to be nondiscriminatory and to provide 
        an excellent opportunity for minorities for career advancement: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),  
That Congress--
            (1) acknowledges a wrong and discriminatory policy of 
        racial segregation in the United States Marine Corps during 
        World War II;
            (2) recognizes that today's United States Marine Corps 
        provides an excellent opportunity for advancement for persons 
        of all races, in significant measure due to the service and 
        example of the African-American members of the Marines Corps 
        during World War II who came to be known as the Montford Point 
        Marines;
            (3) honors the work of the members of the Montford Point 
        Marine Association to pass along their experience to future 
        generations; and
            (4) expresses the eternal gratitude of a grateful Nation to 
        early African-American Marines willing to suffer racial 
        discrimination while fighting for the Nation's freedom and for 
        the liberation of people in the Pacific.
                                 <all>