[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 23, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E206]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   MONTFORD POINT MARINE ASSOCIATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 23, 2010

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Speaker, it is with great admiration and 
tremendous respect that I stand to recognize the Montford Point Marine 
Association and to join them in honoring the brave individuals who, by 
enlisting in the United States Marine Corps, became the first African 
American Marines. In doing so, these Marines made one of the most 
significant strides in our Nation's fine military history. For their 
courage and for their willingness to serve their country, these 
American heroes were honored at an event in Hammond, Indiana, on 
Sunday, February 21, 2010.
  On June 25, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive 
Order 8802, which prohibited discrimination in the defense industry. 
This historical order was followed in 1942 by a directive that gave 
African Americans the opportunity to join the United States Marine 
Corps, a directive that would become one of America's most important 
advances, not only in terms of our military, but in society as a whole.
  Between 1942 and 1949, approximately twenty-thousand African 
Americans from across the United States were recruited into the Marine 
Corps. Instead of being sent to traditional Marine training locations, 
such as San Diego, California, and Parris Island, South Carolina, they 
were segregated and sent for basic training to Montford Point Camp at 
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Montford Point remained active until 
1949, following President Harry S. Truman's issuance of Executive Order 
9981, which ended the practice of segregation in the United States 
Military.
  As the war progressed, the military could no longer deny that these 
dedicated and skilled Marines were equally as capable of performing 
their duties and serving their country as any other members of the 
military. The Marines of Montford Point sought to serve the United 
States through their military service, and in doing so, their impact 
spanned far beyond the military and into American society.
  While many of the Marines were recognized for their military 
achievements, one of the highest honors was bestowed on April 19, 1974, 
when Montford Point Camp was renamed in honor of one of the most 
outstanding Marines of the camp, Sergeant Major Gilbert H. ``Hashmark'' 
Johnson. One of the first African American enlistees to join the Marine 
Corps, Johnson was a distinguished drill instructor and a veteran of 
both World War II and the Korean War. To date, Camp Johnson remains the 
only Marine Corps installation named in honor of an African American.
  Madam Speaker, at this time I ask that you and my other distinguished 
colleagues join me in honoring these fine individuals. Let us never 
forget their service and the sacrifices they made in defense of the 
United States of America.

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