Black Marine Finally Gets His Due-- Part 1

From the July 16th Wilmington (NC) Star-News by AP.

David Potts Sr. and 400 other surviving Montford Point Marines, the nation's first group of black Marines have been honored at the U.S. Marine Barracks in Washington, DC.

All of the men are well into their 80s and served in the nation's segregated military during the war.  Potts, 88, told how he and the others had to deal with discrimination both at home and overseas.  The Montford Point Marines once numbered 20,000 and Potts believes he is the only surviving one from  Mississippi since John Hall Jr of Gulfport died in May.

Back in 1942, President Roosevelt gave the blacks the opportunity to train to be Marines, but they had to do it in a segregated camp.  It turned out to be Montford Point, NC, near Camp Lejeune and Jacksonvile.

Too bad these men do not have their own survivors organization like so many other groups do.

More to Come.  --GreGen