Politics & Government
Watch the Base's Gold Medal Ceremony Live at 2 p.m.
Montford Point Marines are being honored on base Tuesday for being trail blazers in the African American military community.
The commanding general of the 1st Marine Division, Maj. Gen. Ronald Bailey, will honor west coast Montford Point Marines by awarding them Congressional Gold Medals on base Tuesday.
Many of the Marines received the award in Washington in June, but some remaining Marines will receive the award on base.
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The Marines were the first African Americans to enlist when the Marine Corps was opened to African Americans during World War II. They entered recruit training between the years of 1942 and 1949 at Montford Point, now named Camp Johnson.
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Approximately 20,000 African-Americans went to recruit training at Montford Point during World War II. President Harry S Truman deactivated Montford Point in 1949 following desegregation.
Two representatives of the Marines were the grand marshals were the grand marshals in this year's Independence Day Parade in Oceanside.
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The Congressional Gold Medal is the nation’s highest civilian award.
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