Royal Dutch Marines at Camp Lejeune outside one of the buildings at Montford Point Camp 1945

 The Camp Lejeune Montford Point story

  & OUR FRIENDS THE ROYAL DUTCH MARINES OF WORLD WAR TWO 

Sgt Jan Cornelis Kuit

Birth:   Oct. 13, 1914, Holland Death:   Nov. 29, 2004, Holland   John KUIT was my Drill Sergeant Royal Dutch Marines in 1952. Since a very long time John was my very good OLD Friend ! Jan Cornelis(Nickname John)KUIT was born October 13th.1914 in HOLLAND. John was married with Sophia Leticia HOLLANDER and they raised 2 Children,Dorothy and John. In the year 1936 John Kuit joined as young man the famous Royal Dutch Marine Corps,this Marine Corps is one of the OLDEST in the World because the Birthday was December 10th.1665! After Bootcamp,John was in 1938 stationed on the Island Curacao,a DUTCH Dominion in the DUTCH WEST-INDIES. The first 3 years of WW2 John was stationed on the Dutch Submarinehunter "H.M. van KINSBERGEN",hunting GERMAN Submarines in the Caribian Waters. The Year 1943 John was send to the USA Camp Lejeune, to be trained as "Junglefighter" so John could be send to the Far East in the Battle against the JAPANESE ARMY.

 

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After World War II had started and military planners were posturing forces for America's eminent entry to the fight. The need for an East Coast amphibious training facility was answered as the War Department purchased an initial 11,000 acre tract of land. With close proximity to ports at Wilmington and Morehead City, Lejeune was a logistical gem. When planners added the remote pine forests and miles of beach the value of Camp Lejeune as a home training base for Marines was unbeatable.

On May 1, 1941, LtCol. William P.T. Hill, was ordered by the 17th Commandant LtGen. (then Major General) Thomas Holcomb to establish and assume command of the base, then known as Marine Barracks New River, N.C.  His original headquarters was located at Montford Point  and in August of 1942 it was moved to Building #1 at Hadnot Point, where it remains today.

Near the end of 1942, the base took on a the name of Camp Lejeune, named in honor of the 13th Commandant and Commanding General of the 2d Army Division in World War I, MajGen. John A. Lejeune.

 

The Dutch Marines who were at Camp Lejeune 1943

First, no matter what the quality of the food was, either in the
Pacific or at home, I cannot remember ever going hungry. I don't
remember the food in boot camp, but do remember it at Newport, RI,
naval base, where I attended the Electrician Mate's school. Navy chow
was so-so, but I especially remember the Saturday night
menu--horsecock (bologna), cheese and beans, and Jello for desert. At
Camp Lejeune, we had separate mess halls for each of the separate
areas. Each mess sergeant tried to outdo the other mess sergeants,
and usually succeeded. I remember that I was on mess duty
Thanksgiving 1943, and the menu was all you could expect for that
holiday, turkey with all the trimmings. The dinner was served family
style--no mess lines. The Dutch Marines who were at Camp Lejeune and
billeted in our area, ate at the mess and their eyes really opened at
the sumptuous feast, and at the cigars that were distributed after
the meal. Those were the days when you could smoke in mess halls.

Our Friends The Netherlands Royal Dutch Marines

It was the summer of 1945, the closing weeks of the war with Japan but we didn't know that and were preparing for the eventual assault on Japan.

All six reinforced combat divisions of the U. S. Marine Corps had been combat tested, tempered and honed in preparation for the assault upon the homeland of Japan.

Training camps at Quantico, Parris Island, Lejeune, San Diego and Pendleton were diligently preparing the next generation of Marines to fill the gaps, where needed.

At this time, Camp Lejeune was host to the Netherlands Royal Marines, who were receiving specialized training from the United States.

American Marines have traditionally given nicknames to everyone and everything, such as a "90 day Wonder" was a newly commissioned officer, a "Bam" was a woman marine, a "Dutch Marine" was a Netherland Royal Marine.

The U.S. Marines, Women Marines and Royal Marines were quartered in separate barracks usually some distance away from, one another (to keep peace in camp).

Each had their own slop chutes, recreation activity areas and these were off limits to others unless they had permission to be there.

The Americans and Netherlanders were friendly, generally.

There were however stories that told of several confrontations between American and Royal Marines at the slop chutes of both when one individual or group had consumed more than they could handle and insult or argument flared into knock down drag out fights.

The Dutch Marines were moved to Montford Point Camp, to help keep calm on the base.  And were great friends of  Montford Point Marines and my father.

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HARRY H.W.NIEHOFF
USMCR # 283854 After 30 days of unrestricted pleasure away from the Marine Corps, I headed for Camp Lejeune North Carolina by train arrived for duty October 21st 1944. During my tour there, I was assigned teaching Dutch Marines on Motor Transport skills and then later working as a engine mechanic in the Engineer Base garage at Courthouse Bay, Camp Lejeune , until my discharge in October ‘1945.

THE SUMMER OF 1945 by ORVEL JOHNSON
The U.S. Marines, Women Marines and Royal Marines were quartered in separate barracks usually some distance away from, one another (to keep peace in camp).  Each had their own slop chutes, recreation activity areas and these were off limits to others unless they had permission to be there.

The Americans and Netherlanders were friendly, generally, and Starr and Johnson saw nothing to dispute this. There were however stories that told of several confrontations between American and Royal Marines at the slop chutes of both when one individual or group had consumed more than they could handle and insult or argument flared into knock down drag out fights.  The MPs had to be called to break up the fighting. Both sides had been charged with misconduct and disciplinary actions had been handed out.

Days were filled with roll calls, calisthenics, training, schools, police details and those make work activities to keep everyone occupied; but unlike boot camp all was not work. There were weekend passes available to those not on duty if they wanted. And Many took the opportunitity to visit the nation's capital, Washington D.C. For most of the weekends Johnson and Starr elected to remain on camp, to canoe the New River and it's tributaries and to sail the skiffs that were provided by the Marine Corps.

Martin, who flew airplanes before entering the Corps, was a skilled sailor as well, having grown up on the Finger Lakes of New York State. Orvel on the other hand, had trained for and made a landing from an inflatable boat but had no experience or knowledge on the handling of a canoe.  Before embarking on their first canoe outing, Martin fully explained the peculiar problems associated with the canoe so that from day one Orvel knew what to expect might happen if the center of gravity shifted from the center line of the canoe to either side.

In training to handle the canoe Martin and Orvel purposely rolled the canoe to experience the up righting and reentering a water filled canoe. Having learned the basics of canoeing, they began their exploration of the river and many of it's tributaries, portaging over fallen trees and land into adjoining bodies of water. This was one my most enjoyable experiences during WWII.

Sunday afternoon, the weather was about perfect, many Marines and their guests were at the marina. Some Marines checked out sailboats, others took canoes and several lined the dock. Martin and I had already left the dock in a canoe and were standing some 20 feet off the dock watching others get into canoes while talking with friends on the dock, then 2 Royal Marines in their Dress Blues simultaneously stepped from the dock into their canoe.

Obviously, they had never had training such as Martin had provided to me and had not learned from experience what might happen if they failed to keep their weight centered. Fifty or more people saw the incident. The 2 Royal Marines took a dunking, in full Blues, next to the dock in about 3 feet of water and in full sight of this great gathering. 

Naturally this was very amusing especially since neither were obviously hurt, except their egos.  With water logged uniforms, shoes and hats they climbed unto the dock and as they left the onlookers along the dock moved aside to allow them to pass.  It would be interesting to know if they returned with swimming trunks and tried it again.  We both laughed along with the others at their misfortune but took an unexpected dunking later and while the crowds had not observed it, it was very unpleasant and embarrassing experience.

It was always a challenge to come in close to another sailboat - up wind - to attempt to steal the wind of the other craft.  This was done and often as a means of flirting between Marines and the women sailors.  It was played by the Royal Marines and Women Marines as well and the stealing of wind was not limited to acts by the males. The Women Marines were just as guilty of doing this as anyone.

New friendships resulted from chance encounters in sailing but more often these encounters were by design. The barracks of the Women had a sitting room where guests and dates of the women could gather. Both Martin and Orvel spent a few dates there by invitation as did other Marines including the Royal Marines. The tallest Royal Marine observed at Lejeune was seen in dress blues at the Women Marines' barracks.

By James E Stewart Sr 1945 A ORIGINAL MONTFORD POINT MARINE ABOUT THE  DUTCH MARINES

These documents are part of the record of the past.  Due to the nature of these documents they are presented in an unmodified and unedited format including any handwritten comments added during editing. This means that the files are electronic copies of the original typewritten documents created on older typewriters.  If you have information, or pictures, of this history, or know of any Royal Dutch Marine who was station at Camp Lejeune Montford Point Camp in ww2 please contact me at  oklamarine@aol.com

 

 

 

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SIGNIFICANT EVENTS ------------------------------------------

1941-On June 25, FDR issued Executive Order #8802, Fair Employment Practice Commission which directed the Armed Forces of the U.S. to accept all recruits "regardless of color, race, creed or national origin." First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, A. Phillip Randolph, President of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters Union, Lester B. Granger, Executive Director of the National Urban League and Special Advisor to Navy Secretary James Forrestal were notable supporters of this order.

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1942-June 1, the Marine Corps began recruitment of black enlistees. Montford Point Camp, Camp Lejeune, New River, N.C. (original site of the Civilian Conservation Corps) amidst a dense Carolina pine forest, infested with mosquitoes, snakes and bears was established as the recruit depot and advanced training facility for all black marine enlistees.

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On August 26th, Howard Perry of Charlotte, NC, was the first black recruit to arrive at Montford Point Camp.

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H&S Battery of 51st Composite Defense Bn. was activated, Colonel Samuel A. Woods, C.O.

In Sept. the "Mighty" 1st, 2nd and 3rd Recruit Platoons of forty men each were formed.

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1943-January 10th, activation of 1st Marine Depot Co. March 8th, activation of 1st Ammunition Co.  December 15th, activation of 52nd Defense Bn.

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1944-Ivan R. Elmore of Washington, D.C., appointed Camp Band Drum Major and Bandmaster of the Montford Point Band.

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June 15th, 3rd Ammo, 18th, 19th and 20th Marine Depo Companies landed and engaged in fierce attacks with the enemy on Saipan and Tinian Islands in the Marianas. All elements wen awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.

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July 21st, the 2nd and 4th Marine Ammo Companies landed on Guam, Marianas Islands. Cited for heroism and bravery, awarded the Navy Unit Commendation.  Luther Woodward of 4th Ammo cited with Bronze Star.

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September 15th, the 7th Ammo and 11th Depot Company took part in the struggle for Peleliu, Palau Islands with the Marine division.

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1945-February 19th, the 8th Marine Ammo and 36th Marine Depot Companies landed on D-Day with elements of the First Amphibious Corps on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands. The 34th landed on the 24th. Private James M. Whitlock and James Davis of the 36th received the Bronze Star for "heroic achievements in connection with operations against the enemy." All units of the Fifth Amphibious Corps were awarded the Navy Unit Commendation. Said Admiral Chester Nimitz, Chief of Naval Operations: "Uncommon valor was a common virtue."

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April 1st, Invasion of Okinawa, Ryuky Islands where the largest number of Black Marines served in combat. 1st, 3rd units 12th Ammo Co's; 5th, 18th, 37th, 38th Depot Companies, followed later with the 9th, 10th, 19th and 20th Depots.  

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Harry Lee Wright was first Black Marine to attain the rank of Sergeant Major.

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September, occupation of Japan at Sasebo Naval Base, Forces included the 24th, 33rd, 34th, 42nd, 43rd Depot CO's. 6th, 8th and 10th Ammo CO's. The 36th followed in Oct.

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November 10th, PFC Frederick C. Branch of Philadelphia was commissioned as a Reserve Officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, thus becoming the 1st Black to attain this distinction.

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In Tsingtaoç, China the 12th Ammo and 20th Depots. In Tientsin, China the 1st Ammo and the 5th, 37th and 38th Depots assisted in the Occupational campaign.

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1946-Last Recruit Platoons at Montford Point Camp, 573, 574, 575th. Montford Point trained 19,168 with 12,738 serving overseas during World War II. Only 7 of 12 Ammo Co's and 12 of 51 Depots saw combat in the war.

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1948-Executive Order #998 1 issued by President Harry S. Truman ending color bias in the American armed forces.

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1949-June 23rd, ALNAV 49-447, Secretary of Navy Francis P. Matthews issued "Equal opportunity for all personnel in the Navy/Marine Corps without regard of race, color religion or national origin."

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Sept. 8th, First Black Woman Marine, Annie E. Graham, enlisted at Detroit, Michigan.

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Sept. 9th, Montford Point Camp was deactivated. Sgt Charles Shaw, USMC became First Black Marine Drill Instructor at Parris Island Recruit Depot.

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Warrant Officer Annie L. Grimes of Chicago became First Black Woman Marine Officer.

Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

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Camp Lejeune Marine Base Jacksonville, North Carolina

Tour stop 24: Montford Point - Camp Johnson

The first African-American to wear the Marine uniform, and all African-American Marines who served in World War II, received their training at this complex on Camp Lejeune's Montford Point. The segregation policies of the Navy Department during these years required that African-American Marines live and train separately from their white counterparts.

The Montford Point complex consisted of three "camps." Recruits were assigned to Camp 1 where they were billeted in composition-board "huts" like those at Tent Camp (Camp Geiger). After basic training, new African-American Marines assigned to the Messman Branch or a depot or Ammunition Company were billeted in the concrete block and brick buildings of Camp 2. Camp 3 represented an expansion and upgrading of Camp 1, with more concrete block barracks to house troops instead of the Homosote huts. Recreational facilities, a post exchange, and a chapel were also provided at Camp 1. Units organized at Montford Point during the War included the 51st and 52nd Composite Base Defense Battalions and the 51 depot companies and 12 ammunition companies. Most of the depot and ammunition companies were posted forward to support combat units in the Pacific. 
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The Montford Point complex received its present name in 1974, honoring Sergeant Major Gilbert H. "Hashmark" Johnson.

To view a portrait of Sergeant Major Johnson, proceed on Harlem Drive to Company D Street. Turn right on Company D Street and then left on Company E Street. On your left are a group of four murals painted on Buildings M514 and M516. The mural depicting Sergeant Major Johnson is to the left on Building M516.
You are welcome to learn more about this important chapter in Marine Corps history by visiting the Montford Point Historical Reading Room in Building M100 on Heritage Square in Camp 1. To do so, stop at Camp Headquarters in Building M131. A brass plaque honoring Sergeant Major Johnson is located at the base of the flagpole in front of Building M131. The Montford Point Chapel, Building M116, is also open for visitation during normal duty hours. In association with the Montford Point Marine Association, Camp Lejeune has prepared a guide for a separate walking tour of Camp Johnson which is available at the Historical Reading Room or from the Camp Johnson Gate Sentry

In late 1941, a Marine Lieutenant Colonel, W.P.T Hill and a group of NCO's, such as SSGT Angelo DiPaola, Technical Sgt Rocky Williams, Sgt Clark Rouse and Sgt Ray Lantz were given the mission to go forth and find a place to "establish an amphibious training base." The site they selected was initially known as Marine Barracks, New River and included a 1600 acre peninsula known as Montford Point. Although the main base was renamed Camp Lejeune in honor of our 13th Commandant, this small sub-camp retained the modest title of Montford Point Camp.

Two separate undercurrents affected the establishment of the Camp. The first was a result of the manpower demands facing a Marine Corps which was destined to expand to six times its pre-war size and those facing the other services who were competing for scarce manpower. The second was the pressure being brought to bear from the predominately black Pullman Porter's Union, the National Urban League, the NAACP, the press, especially the Pittsburgh Courier, and other civic groups for equality in the work force and the war effort industries. These were backed by urgings of the President's wife, Eleanor Roosevelt. As a result President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802, officially establishing the Fair Employment Practices Commission on 25 June 1941. This in fact opened all the military and defense industries to all men regardless of race.

On 26 April 1942, Montford Point Camp was opened under the command of Colonel Samuel A. Woods Jr. and designated as a Recruit Training Depot specifically for the training of "Negro" recruits. The Camp was initially staffed by a select group of white SNCO's who were collectively referred to as the "Special Enlisted Staff." Their mission was to establish the Camp and then act as drill instructors for the newly arrived recruits. One of the white junior officers at the Camp was the Band Officer, 2ndLt Bobby Troup who organized the 51st Marine Band, the only all black band to ever exist in the Marine Corps. 2ndLt Troup went on to fame as a jazz trumpet player and starred in a number of TV shows and movies. His band was manned partially by professional musician volunteers from Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and Erskine Hawkins' bands.

The early Camp was sparse tents augmented by some civilian buildings. Soon however more permanent buildings were constructed, first of wood, then of hard brick construction. The recruits were housed in plywood section bays forever to be known as "the green huts." Hard latrines were built and the camp basically doubled in size throughout each of its first three years of existence and in 1945 pretty much looked as it does today. The first PX is now the Headquarters of the Field Medical Service School. The first recreation center is Field Med's classroom building. The RTD Headquarters was located in building M-100, the messhall right next to it (M-101) and the infirmary now serves as the headquarters of the Combat Water Safety Swimming School. The Chapel is still the Chapel and HQSvcCo's Headquarters was the "brig." The warehouses and motor pool buildings now serve as laboratory facilities for Supply School and Motor Transport School, respectively.

The first six black Marines assigned to the RTD were of a rare breed. Selected for their leadership and demonstrated maturity they would form the backbone of the black SNCO/Drill instructor corps One of these men, Pvt Gilbert "Hashmark" Johnson of Gadsden Ala. had served six years in the Army and nine years in the Navy.

Immediately upon signing of EO 8802 he applied for an inter-service transfer form the Navy to the Marines. He arrived here as a 36 year old Private with three "hashmarks," thus his nickname. He left twenty years later as a SgtMaj. Another, Pvt Edgar Huff, also of Gadsden Ala. proudly stated that he came here with one set of drawers and one pair of shoes. Despite warnings that he should go home that very night he arrived, he is on record as stating "when they gave me six pairs of drawers and three pairs of shoes, there was no way I was going to leave and have to give them back." Pvt Huff left the Marines as  SgtMaj.

Other significant names in the early days include, Pvt Howard Perry of Charlotte North Carolina who arrived on 26 August 1942 and stepped off the bus into history as the first black "recruit." Pvt Frederick Branch arrived much later but he also stepped into history when he was commissioned on 10 Nov 1945 as the first black Marine Corps officer.

Tech Sergeant James E. Stewart Sr. sworn into the Marine Corps 15 Aug, 1942, was responsible for the first black to be recruited and sworn in the USMC in Oklahoma City.

There were many farmers and factory workers, but among the men reporting as Privates for training were lawyers, professors, teachers, former Army Buffalo Soldier John T. Pridgen of the US 10th Cavalry, and one George A. Jackson who had been a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army.

------------------------------------------------- The Montford Point Story: Step by Step They Lead the Way

by: Cassandra L. Paschal

.....America's long history of racial ambivalence is observable in the story of integrating the Marine Corps. What it took to make integration work in the Corps was the recruitment of men identified by Tom Brokaw as "The Greatest Generation." These men recognized the terrorism of the two great Axis powers of the 1940's, Germany and Japan, because they, unfortunately, had been on the receiving end of such terrorism in their own homeland. They believed, with an earnestness that we don't often find today, that if they could show their homeland their valor they would return to a country that, in its gratitude, would give them all of the freedoms provided in our Constitution. ..... The military had already recruited soldiers into the Army and sailors into the Navy, but the Marines continued to bar African Americans from service until President Roosevelt's Executive Order 8802. Though there was initial resistance, the Secretary of the Navy, Frank Knox, complied with the order and decreed that the enlistment as African American Marines would begin on June 1, 1942. Though there was some resistance from most leadership within the Marine Corps, the Continental Marines had at least a few Africans - slaves and freedmen - that served during the American Revolution. A Delaware slave known as John Martin was recruited, without permission from his owner, to serve under Captain Miles Pennington of the Continental brig, Reprisal, and it is recorded that Private Martin served well, even assisting in the capture of five British merchant men.1 It took over 150 years for America to honor the sacrifices of that early Marine, but in doing so, a legacy of greatness and service to country was created by the Montford Point Marines about which all Americans can be proud. ..... On August 18, 1942, the first camp to accept "Negro" Marines was opened in an area of Camp Lejuene, North Carolina. The Marine Corps created "…a camp with all the facilities of the white camps. Good barracks, dining halls, churches, medical facilities, entertainment and movie halls, camp stores, barbershops, training areas, and rifle-ranges and all other facilities on a par with 'white' facilities."2 Everyone in the military, and especially the Marine Corps, was watching this gallant experiment. The young men of color recruited from many states felt the pressure to be the best possible Marines. They wanted to "bring honor to the Corps" since they were the first. The young African American Marines trained hard, at first with white drill instructors. But as African Americans trained and showed promise, they were promoted and soon there was an African American corps of Drill Instructors. They were tough, but their hard work paid off when General Alexander. A. Vandergriff, the then-Commandant of the Marine Corps, came to review the troops. The Montford Point Marines gave such a precision drill that the general is said to have issued an order to lift all restraints on enlisting African American Marines. These young men were proud to have done well before the Commandant; however, their true tests were still to come. ..... The Marine Corps had a policy of assigning black regiments to support roles in combat. The 52nd Defense Battalion was sent to the Marshall Islands after the fighting had largely concluded. The area was so desolate that one of the incoming Marines suggested that the departing white Marines had "…never been so glad to see black people in their lives" as they were to have the 52nd come to relieve them. ..... The 51st Defense Battalion had no such lack of action. They arrived at Saipan in the Mariana Islands to support the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions of V Amphibious Corps. While they were assisting the combat units, one of their own, Private First Class Leroy Seals of Brooklyn, NY, was shot and died the next day of his wounds. The Montford Point Marines picked up their rifles that day and fought back the Japanese and even destroyed one of the Japanese machine guns from the beachhead perimeter side-by-side with the white combat units. In February 1945, a group from the 51st landed on Iwo Jima with the 5th Division, 28th Regiment. The combat regiment came ashore and it seemed that taking Iwo Jima would be a cake-walk. The Japanese, however, had planned an ambush. They (the Japanese) had placed guns on either side of Mount Suribachi and were firing at will onto the Marines on the island. The black Marines of the 8th Ammunition Company landed during the second or third wave and somehow they kept ammunition in the hands of the combat units throughout this deadly firefight. Time and time again the black Marines delivered the much needed ammunition. Though the Japanese actually shot two trucks from under one of the drivers, he kept coming back. Combat Marines who thought they had seen everything cheered this young, black Marine from their foxholes. The Montford Point Marines knew their job was to keep the combatants supplied and they did so with great valor and at great expense to their company. The Japanese soon saw this and began to make their assault on the Ammo Company as well as the combat Marines. The Montford Point Marines rose to the occasion by fighting off these attacks as they continued their supply missions. This is the courage and stamina that lead Admiral Nimitz, Commander of the Fleet in the Pacific to say, "On Iwo Jima, in the ranks of all the Marines who set foot on that Island uncommon valor was a common virtue. ..... Those early Montford Point Marines were the catalyst for the great presence of African Americans in the Marine Corps. By the time that camp was closed for recruit training in 1949, over 21,000 recruits were trained and molded there. Harry Truman's order, Executive Order 9981, signed July 26, 1948, guaranteed the end of a segregated training facility for African Americans in the Marines. Montford Point was officially renamed for Master Sergeant Gilbert "Hashmark" Johnson (one of the first six African American Drill Instructors and an original Montford Pointer) in April 1974. The memories of the change Montford Point meant to the Marine Corps and America must never be forgotten. These men from the "Greatest Generation" made a sacrifice for their country that lead to changes in how African Americans are viewed by many segments of the population. They should have received even greater honor than they got. We must never forget the soldiers that had to fight and die to prove they could wear the Eagle, Globe and Anchor. ..... What would those young men who fought first so hard for their country overseas and in their country think of today's Marine Corps, a Marine Corps that has developed a system of promotion based on merit only? The Marine Corps they helped build is the one that promoted its first African American pilot, Frank E. Petersen, to the rank of three-star general; it is the one that developed Major General (retired) Charles Bolden, Jr. as an aviator who represented the Marines in the NASA space program, and, even more important to him was that he was able to pass his love of flying on to his son who is also a Marine Corps aviator; or the Corps that has given Gilda Jackson the opportunity to become its first African American Colonel and the Commander of the Naval Aviation Depot at the Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point North Carolina. This Corps is the place that retired Staff Sergeant Glynis A. Harvey came to love enough to write a poem about the foundation the Montford Point Marines, which provided for her success and the success of many other young people who came after her. This is a legacy worth celebrating. Today's Marine Corps honors those young men who willingly signed up in 1942 by opening itself up to anyone who brings the desire to succeed and the drive to be nothing less than the best. Those are the few, the proud, the Marines. .....