It has been twelve (12) years since the nation’s relatively obscure first WWII Black Marines were initially awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by President Barack Obama and the 112th U.S. Congress and became national heroes their story was blasted across every major TV network in America. However, many of the original 20,000 black Marines that trained at the segregated facility at Camp Montford Point, Camp Lejeune, NC, never received their honors because many had deceased, while others were in nursing homes, or hospice, and may have been otherwise disabled.
Since that time, President/National Commandant Robert B. Middleton of the Montford Point Marines of America, has been on a nationwide mission to locate other WWII Black Marines who may still be alive, or their immediate families to make the Congressional Gold Medal ward posthumously. As a result of these efforts, five (5) Congressional Gold Medals will be presented to the families of these heroic U.S. Marines at the 14th Annual National Heritage Military Banquet & Awards Ceremony, hosted by the Montford Point Marines of America, Sunday, 23 June, at Burton Manor in Livonia, MI. Retired Marine Corps MajGen. Cornell Wilson will be guest speaker and participate in officiating the presentation of awards along with other military dignitaries.
Today, it is believed that there are fewer than 300 original WWII Montford Point Marines remaining of the approximately 20,000 that trained at the segregated Camp Montford Point (MCB) New River, Camp Lejeune, between 1942-1949. President Middleton says he is delighted to celebrate two (2) of WWII Black Marine centenarians residing in Detroit, Lee Newby (recently deceased) and Butler Martin (currently 101 years old) Both of these Marines were interviewed by CNN and WDIV TV Channel 4.
Finally, during the awards segment of the program, the President of Hidden Pioneers, Inc, Bill Montgomery, will be flying to Detroit from Corona, CA, to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to a young lady named Emeline King, the first female African-America, Transportation Designer at the Ford Motor Company who designed the Mustang and the Thunderbird. Her energy and infectious personality will certainly inspire the audience, Middleton says. We encourage the public to attend this fascinating event, and details are available to Eventbrite via “Montford Point Event”.