02/07/2025
On this date, August 26th, in 1942, the very first African American US Marine recruits arrived at the recently established the segregated Montford Point Camp in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Howard Perry, from Charlotte, North Carolina is credited with being the first recruit to arrive. This is not to be confused with the first recruit to enlist, that honor belongs to Alfred Masters who enlisted on 1 June 1942. Many of these new arrivals had to first do the physical work to build their base before their recruit training even started. During its establishment, nearly 20,000 African American men would receive their recruit training there until the base was no longer designated a recruit training facility on September 9th 1949. Many future legends would train there to include; NY City Major David Dinkins, Sergeant Major Edgar R Huff, Sergeant Major Gilbert “Hashmark” Johnson and Major League Baseball pitcher Dan Bankhead, among many others. In April 1974 the base was renamed Camp Johnson in honor of Sergeant Major Hashmark Johnson. Today, visitors are welcomed to the facility by a magnificent monument that pays tribute to these first African American Marine pioneers. Exactly 10 years ago, the United States Senate designated this date as “Montford Point Marines Day” through the efforts of Past National President Dr. James T Averhart and his administration. Happy Montford Point Marines Day!
