First Black Marines to Be Honored with Gold Medal on JUNE 27

First Black Marines to Receive Gold Medal on JUNE 27.  After legislation pushed by Rep. Corrine Brown and Sen. Kay Hagen was signed by President Obama last year, a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony will be held in honor of the Montford Point Marines.  The Montfort Point Marines were the first Black Marines to enter the Marine Corp.  They were trained at Montfort Point in North Carolina.   The ceremony will take place in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on June 27th.  The last time African American military pioneers were honored was in 2007 when the Tuskegee Airmen were honored with the Congressional Gold Medal.  President Bush attended that ceremony and it’s likely that President Obama will attend this one.

WVEC TV: “An estimated 532 Montford Point Marines are known to still be living today.  At least seven of them reside in Hampton Roads.  And they are about to be honored for their service.”