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Mr. Anthony Smith, along with his family, attended a special ceremony on Nov. 19, 2022 for a historic occasion.
Smith’s father was a Montford Point Marine and was being awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on his behalf.
The Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United State Congress and is Congress’s highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
The Montford Point Marines date back to 1942 when Camp Montford Point was established in Jacksonville, North Carolina as enlisted boot camp for the first African American Marines to serve since the American Revolution.
Having gone so long since African Americans were allowed to serve in the Marine Corps, the Montford Point Marines became a significant cornerstone in the fight for civil rights in American history.
“It was called the Negro Marine Corps, it was for everyone that was brown,” said Smith.
Retired Sgt. Maj. Charles Cook Jr. is the president of the National Montford Point Marines Association in Los Angeles, California. Sgt. Maj. Cook along with the guest of honor, retired Col. Ricardo Player, presented the Congressional Gold Medal to Smith and his family.
The Montford Point Marines were able to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps after President Franklin Roosevelt issued an executive order establishing the Fair Employment Practices Commission in June 1941.
“For me, the fact that I am a retired African American sergeant major in the United States Marine Corps, I served in every clime and place,” said Cook. “I stand with these guys that put on this ball is how I can give back to the Corps.”
Montford Point Marines trained at Camp Montford Point in Jacksonville, North Carolina from Aug. 26, 1942, until the camp was decommissioned on Sept. 9, 1949, according to the Montford Point Marines Association.
“This event is spectacular, I would say it’s the academy awards of the Marine Corps,” said Anthony Smith. “My dad would be so honored; we have a picture of him and I named it ‘Dad just smiling down on us,’” Smith said.
“Not only did we award a Congressional Gold Medal, but it was in conjunction with celebrating the Marine Corps,” said Cook. “The World War II generation is the greatest generation of Marines.”
| Date Taken: | 11.19.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 12.02.2022 12:15 |
| Story ID: | 434326 |
| Location: | CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 163 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Montford Point Marines Recognized During a Marine Corps Ball Ceremony, by Sgt Emely Gonzalez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
