Montford Point Marine Association
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The Montford Point Marine Association (MPMA) is a nonprofit military veterans' organization, founded to memorialize the legacy of the first African Americans to serve in the United States Marine Corps. The first African American U.S. Marines were trained at Camp Montford Point, in Jacksonville, North Carolina, from 1941 to 1949.
Montford Point Marine Association
Reuben J. McNair Sr., and a fellow veteran of the Montford Point Marine Association, converses with a present-day African American Marine officer.
Montford Point Marines were guests of honor at Marine Barracks Washington in August 2011, bringing their story to the national forefront. On June 28, 2012, they were awarded replicas of a Congressional Gold Medal during a presentation ceremony at the historic parade grounds.
U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Walter E. Gaskin congratulates an original Montford Point Marine awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on June 27, 2012.
Camp Gilbert H. Johnson
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Camp Gilbert H. Johnson is a satellite camp of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina and home to the Marine Corps Combat Service Support Schools (MCCSSS), where various support military occupational specialties such as administration, supply, logistics, finance, Navy corpsman and motor transport maintenance are trained. Camp Johnson is situated on Montford Point, the site of recruit training for the first African Americans to serve in the Marine Corps, known as "Montford Point Marines".
Sgt Maj Gilbert "Hashmark" Johnson
Inside cover of the 1943 Montford Point base annual.