The National Montford Point Marine Association hosted the Montford Point Marine Observance on Thursday, August 25, 2022 at the Montford Point Marine Memorial in the Lejeune Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville.
The observance honored and remembers the first African Americans who enlisted in the Marine Corps during WWII and trained at Camp Montford Point in Jacksonville, the modern day site of Camp Johnson. This year’s celebration also marked the 80th anniversary of the enlistment of the first Montford Point Marines.
This year’s observance will honored eight Montford Point Marines with the Congressional Gold Medal. As part of a national effort to recognize the challenges these Marines endured and the sacrifices made on the battlefield, surviving Montford Pointers who served from 1942 through 1949 are presented with Congressional Gold Medals.
The observance also included remarks from Onslow County Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman Tim Foster, a keynote speaker, demonstration from the Marine Corps Silent Drill Team, and was attended by other original Montford Point Marines and their families.
