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19,000多名非裔美国海军陆战队员曾在第二次世界大战期间在专为黑人设立的军事设施蒙特福德角军营受训。

 

6月27日，在国会山(Capitol Hill)举行的一个仪式中，368位仍然健在的原蒙特福德角海军陆战队员接受了美国国会颁发的最高公民荣誉——国会金质奖章（Congressional Gold Medal）。在众多战友的陪同下，威廉·麦克道尔（William McDowell）在授奖仪式上代表所有蒙特福德角海军陆战队员接受了这枚奖章。参议院少数党领袖米奇·麦康奈尔（Mitch McConnell）说：“今天我们汇集在一起称颂蒙特福德角海军陆战队员，不仅因为他们在打破肤色屏障中发挥的先锋作用，而且还因为他们在遭受种族歧视带来的屈辱之际所表现出的勇气及作出的牺牲。”

 

众议院少数党领袖南希·佩洛西（Nancy Pelosi）说：“蒙特福德角海军陆战队员通过自己的行动和勇气铺平了在国内实现正义的道路。你们战胜了逆境，打开了机遇之门。你们推动美国去实现自己的理想：体现我们的传统和我们的希望的民权、自由和平等。”

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House Speaker John Boehner, left, presents William McDowell, representing the Montford Point Marines, U.S. Marine Corps, with the Congressional Gold Medal.

Washington — In 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued an executive order requiring the armed services to recruit and enlist African Americans. Thousands of African-American men were eager to serve their country and, after joining up, were sent to basic training at Camp Montford Point in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

The Montford Point Marines, as they would come to be called, were segregated from their white counterparts and refused entry to nearby Camp Lejeune unless accompanied by a white serviceman. More than 19,000 African-American troops trained at Camp Montford Point, but received little recognition for their wartime service.

On June 27, the 368 surviving Montford Point Marines were recognized by Congress with its highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, in a ceremony on Capitol Hill. With many of the survivors in attendance, William McDowell, representing the Montford Point Marines, accepted the medal on behalf of all the honorees during the ceremony. “Today we gather to honor the Marines of Montford Point not just for their pioneering role in breaking down the color barrier in the U.S. Marine Corps,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, “but for their courage and their sacrifice amid the indignity of racial discrimination.”

“By their actions and their courage,” said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, “the Montford Point Marines paved a way to justice at home. You overcame adversity and opened the doors of opportunity. You drove America to live up to its ideals: civil rights, freedom and equality, which is our heritage and our hope.”

The following day the Montford Point Marines were the guests of honor at at a parade hosted by the commandant of the Marine Corps at the Washington Marine Barracks. General James F. Amos, the current commandant of the Marine Corps, was a driving force behind the awarding of the medal. “It is long overdue,” Amos said on the announcement of the honor. “My promise to you this evening is that your story will not be forgotten. It will take its rightful place, and it will be forever anchored in the rich history of the United States Marine Corps.”