[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Pages 14429-14430]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO MONTFORD POINT MARINES

  Mr. DURBIN. On June 27, 2012, Congress presented the Congressional 
Gold Medal to the first African Americans to serve in the United States 
Marine Corps, the Montford Point Marines. More recently, the personal 
story of three of those marines from southern Illinois was brought to 
my attention.
  Most people have heard of the Tuskeegee Airmen and the Buffalo 
Soldiers, but until recently, the Montford Point Marines were largely 
unknown to the general public. During the 1940s, segregation and 
discrimination were pervasive in this country. Unfortunately, the 
Marine Corps was no exception.
  To counteract the injustice, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued 
an Executive order that prohibited racial discrimination in the 
national defense industry, including Federal agencies. This order 
forever changed the Marine Corps from an all-white fighting force to 
one comprised of those willing to serve.
  Camp Montford Point, NC, is the site where the first African 
Americans who joined the Marine Corps were trained. Nearly 20,000 
African Americans trained there, many of whom served honorably in World 
War II. The marines established Camp Montford Point adjacent to Camp 
Lejeune and those who trained there were known as the Montford Point 
Marines.
  One man who answered the call to serve was Carbondale, IL, resident 
Archibald Mosley. In 1942, Mosley said that he was a ``girl-crazy'' 
typical teenager ready to graduate from high school in Jackson County, 
IL. An exceptional student, Mosley was asked by the principal, along 
with a handful of other students, to serve in the marines.
  Mosley enlisted with two of his friends, Saul Griffin, Jr. and James 
France. Mosley, because his records indicated that he had some college, 
was chosen to lead the others. They were sent to train at Camp Montford 
Point.

[[Page 14430]]

  The conditions for the recruits at Montford Point were miserable. The 
white men who trained at Camp Lejeune lived in barracks. The African-
American men were housed in huts made of beaverboard--similar to thick 
cardboard. The huts had little, if any, heat in the winter and no 
relief from the sweltering temperatures in the summer. Nor did they 
have access to the same equipment. The African Americans didn't know 
how bad it was--they weren't allowed into the same areas at their White 
colleagues.
  Amazingly, despite their willingness to die for their country, the 
Montford Point Marines still faced incredible injustices after the 
deplorable conditions during training. One situation that has 
continually bothered Mosley was when German prisoners of war were 
allowed to eat before the African-American Marines. He couldn't 
understand why the enemy would be able to eat before one of their 
marine brothers--it appeared that loyalty didn't extend beyond race.
  After World War II, marines were sent home to be congratulated by the 
President. The Montford Point Marines weren't even recognized for their 
service.
  Decades after the doors opened at Camp Montford Point, in November of 
last year, Congress finally voted to award these honorable men with the 
highest civilian award in the United States because of their honorable 
and noble service to America. They were called to serve and they 
responded--nearly 20,000 strong.
  Despite the poor treatment, despite the poor jobs, despite the 
substandard conditions, the Montford Point Marines served their 
country. Before all else, they were Americans. Archibald Mosley and his 
friends lived and breathed the Marine Corps motto, Semper Fidelis, 
``Always Faithful.''
  I am thankful that they did. I am also thankful that our Nation took 
the steps we did to ensure those brave Americans received the 
recognition they were denied for so many years.
  Saul Griffin, Jr. and James France didn't live to see it, sadly, but 
Reverend Mosley and many of his fellow marines were able to make the 
trip to Washington this summer to receive the long delayed thanks from 
a grateful Nation.

                          ____________________