thedrifter
02-21-04, 08:47 AM
Service, not color of skin, important
February 21,2004
OUR OPINION
When the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor plunged this country into World War II, every hand was needed to combat the spread of the Axis powers.
America's women went to work in plants and factories, allowing men to don the uniform of the U.S. Armed Forces. Children donated their pennies to the war effort. And even men who'd never before been allowed to wear the uniform of the U.S. Marine Corps found the opportunity to break new ground and become the first black Leathernecks.
It all started right here in Onslow County, at a place called Montford Point, on land turned into a camp specifically for training black Marines. Set apart from Camp Lejeune and the white Marines, the first black recruits were made from some pretty tough stuff. Not only were they going where none of their kind had ever gone before, but they were going where they were largely unwelcome.
Even the commandant of the Marine Corps, Thomas Holcomb, bucked the idea of training black men to become Marines. But President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, urged on by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, supported the project - and blacks were allowed to enlist and become Marines.
Those early Marines had to work harder and longer to make it - but make it, they did. They took a great deal of pride in their abilities, begging for the opportunity to join in battle to demonstrate what they'd learned.
Special units of black Marines made it to the front and fought with incredible bravery and spirit, then repeated their performance in Korea.
Black servicemen - Marines in particular - finally gained recognition for their excellence.
In Vietnam and the years following, black Marines continued to fight alongside white Marines, earning the same accolades as other servicemen. Throughout the services, men of all races discovered that skin color doesn't count for much when sharing a foxhole or fighting for one's life. It all comes down to a matter of skill, motivation and trust.
February is Black History Month. Marines at Camp Johnson have been commemorating the event by taking a hard look at the difficulties and contributions of black Marines. It's an effort to impart an appreciation for those who pioneered the difficult and rocky road of ignorance and prejudice taken by men who simply wanted the opportunity to serve their country.
Various events have been held to raise the information bar for today's fully-integrated Marine Corps. And, as those coordinating the events have said, the modern Corps is light years ahead of what it was in the 1940s, but it's still far from perfect.
Most Marines acknowledge and appreciate that they are brothers with common goals, skills and a shared passion for this country's ideals. But there still exists - on both sides - pockets of bigotry and hatred, based solely upon an inability to get past something as meaningless as the color of one's skin.
The Marine Corps and the other services have come a long way in forging a fighting force based on abilities and common goals. There's no place in combat or day-to-day activities for judgments based on race.
The bottom line is this: The country is a better place thanks to those who've served - no matter what the color of their skin. That's what our history will ultimately - and rightfully - reflect.
http://www.jacksonvilledailynews.com/SiteProcessor.cfm?Template=/GlobalTemplates/Details.cfm&StoryID=20397&Section=Opinion
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
February 21,2004
OUR OPINION
When the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor plunged this country into World War II, every hand was needed to combat the spread of the Axis powers.
America's women went to work in plants and factories, allowing men to don the uniform of the U.S. Armed Forces. Children donated their pennies to the war effort. And even men who'd never before been allowed to wear the uniform of the U.S. Marine Corps found the opportunity to break new ground and become the first black Leathernecks.
It all started right here in Onslow County, at a place called Montford Point, on land turned into a camp specifically for training black Marines. Set apart from Camp Lejeune and the white Marines, the first black recruits were made from some pretty tough stuff. Not only were they going where none of their kind had ever gone before, but they were going where they were largely unwelcome.
Even the commandant of the Marine Corps, Thomas Holcomb, bucked the idea of training black men to become Marines. But President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, urged on by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, supported the project - and blacks were allowed to enlist and become Marines.
Those early Marines had to work harder and longer to make it - but make it, they did. They took a great deal of pride in their abilities, begging for the opportunity to join in battle to demonstrate what they'd learned.
Special units of black Marines made it to the front and fought with incredible bravery and spirit, then repeated their performance in Korea.
Black servicemen - Marines in particular - finally gained recognition for their excellence.
In Vietnam and the years following, black Marines continued to fight alongside white Marines, earning the same accolades as other servicemen. Throughout the services, men of all races discovered that skin color doesn't count for much when sharing a foxhole or fighting for one's life. It all comes down to a matter of skill, motivation and trust.
February is Black History Month. Marines at Camp Johnson have been commemorating the event by taking a hard look at the difficulties and contributions of black Marines. It's an effort to impart an appreciation for those who pioneered the difficult and rocky road of ignorance and prejudice taken by men who simply wanted the opportunity to serve their country.
Various events have been held to raise the information bar for today's fully-integrated Marine Corps. And, as those coordinating the events have said, the modern Corps is light years ahead of what it was in the 1940s, but it's still far from perfect.
Most Marines acknowledge and appreciate that they are brothers with common goals, skills and a shared passion for this country's ideals. But there still exists - on both sides - pockets of bigotry and hatred, based solely upon an inability to get past something as meaningless as the color of one's skin.
The Marine Corps and the other services have come a long way in forging a fighting force based on abilities and common goals. There's no place in combat or day-to-day activities for judgments based on race.
The bottom line is this: The country is a better place thanks to those who've served - no matter what the color of their skin. That's what our history will ultimately - and rightfully - reflect.
http://www.jacksonvilledailynews.com/SiteProcessor.cfm?Template=/GlobalTemplates/Details.cfm&StoryID=20397&Section=Opinion
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: