[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 2147-2148]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING MARINE MASTER SERGEANT ELBERT LESTER

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 28, 2013

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a 
remarkable veteran, Marine Master Sergeant Elbert Lester. On Friday, 
November 2, 2012 Marine Master Sergeant Elbert Lester, now eighty-seven 
years of age, was awarded the Muntford Point Marines' Congressional 
Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress for 
distinguished achievement.
  The Munford Point Marines were the first African-Americans to serve 
in the United States Marine Corps in 1941, when President Franklin D. 
Roosevelt created the Fair Employment Practices Commission, ultimately 
forcing the Corps to recruit blacks. When asked, ``Why did you choose 
the Marine Corps?'' he replied ``They decided that for me.'' He then 
explained while at the Army recruiting station, the black company was 
asked for volunteers to go into the Marines. No one did. ``So, they put 
our names in a hat and my name was one of those that were pulled. I was 
one of the unlucky ones.''
  Elbert Lester was assigned to the 27th Depot Company as a Corporal 
and would leave the service as Master Sergeant. Following training, his 
unit was put aboard a ship in Norfolk, VA to Guadalcanal, a thirty-day 
voyage that would begin his time of service in the South Pacific. Most 
of the 19,000 black

[[Page 2148]]

Marines trained at Munford Point were assigned to ammunition and depot 
companies, bring ammunition and supplies to the front lines, and 
returning wounded and dead to transport ships.
  After the war, he returned to Quitman County, Mississippi where he 
married his childhood sweetheart Pearline Williams. They have thirteen 
children: Frank, Teresia, Pearlie Mae, Elbert Jr., Patricia, Lacresia, 
Napoleon, Miranda, Alberta, Timothy, Roderick, Darius, Cornelius and 
three adopted: Waring, Tiffany and Kikera Brown. Mr. and Mrs. Lester 
have been married for 65 years and live on their 80-acre farm. They 
attend Woodland Missionary Baptist Church, where they both sing in the 
choir.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Monford 
Point Marine Master Sergeant Elbert Lester for his sacrifices in 
promoting democracy around the world and the United States of America.

                          ____________________