Phantom Blooper
10-31-07, 08:22 PM
Another chapter in Montford Point history
JENNIFER HLAD
DAILY NEWS STAFF
People know about the Tuskegee Airmen. They've heard of the Buffalo Soldiers.
But ask about the Montford Point Marines, and many Americans draw a blank, said Ronald Culp, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel.
Culp wanted to change that. So he started digging.
First, he learned that a man at his San Antonio church was one of the first Montford Point Marines and the second black man to be commissioned in the Marine Corps. Culp, who took up writing after his retirement, decided to write an article about the man for World War II magazine.
But he wasn't done there. He began working on a book, and now, four-and-a-half years later, the book - "The First Black United States Marines, The Men of Montford Point, 1942-1946" - is hitting the shelves.
Culp came to Jacksonville on Tuesday to sign copies of his book and talk to the Montford Point Marines themselves. He told them how he had contacted Montford Point Museum Director Finney Greggs and began to interview people for the book, then realized that he didn't really understand the information he had.
"I had to put it in context," Culp said.
Culp interviewed about 15 men for the book, he said, though not all of them wanted their stories included in the final version. He also dug through archives and history to find out more about what was going on at the time.
He wanted his book to be different than the other things he'd seen about Montford Point, he said.
"I wanted to put it in the context of the Marine Corps and the country at the time," Culp said. "I tried to take the memories and put them with the facts."
During his research, Culp said he came across people who would "admit that there were black Marines in World War II but said they were never overseas."
Or, they would admit they were overseas but insisted the black men were never in the fight.
Those people were clearly wrong, Culp said.
"They were there, on the beach, on the front lines, taking fire," he said.
Culp said he knew a little about the Montford Point Marines when he was in the Marine Corps but not much about how they came to be. He said he hopes his book will shed some light on the subject for the many who know nothing about the camp where black Marine recruits were trained.
Greggs said he was glad to accept the book on behalf of the museum.
"It will be here long after I'm gone," he said.
Having Culp come to the museum and meet more of the men who went through Montford Point "gives it that personal touch," Greggs said.
Col. Joel Berry, commanding officer of Camp Johnson, said he is glad to see anything that can sustain Montford Point's legacy.
"It's just great to see someone write the story," he said.
Contact military reporter Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or 353-1171, ext. 8467. To comment on this story, visit www.jdnews.com (http://www.jdnews.com).
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JENNIFER HLAD
DAILY NEWS STAFF
People know about the Tuskegee Airmen. They've heard of the Buffalo Soldiers.
But ask about the Montford Point Marines, and many Americans draw a blank, said Ronald Culp, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel.
Culp wanted to change that. So he started digging.
First, he learned that a man at his San Antonio church was one of the first Montford Point Marines and the second black man to be commissioned in the Marine Corps. Culp, who took up writing after his retirement, decided to write an article about the man for World War II magazine.
But he wasn't done there. He began working on a book, and now, four-and-a-half years later, the book - "The First Black United States Marines, The Men of Montford Point, 1942-1946" - is hitting the shelves.
Culp came to Jacksonville on Tuesday to sign copies of his book and talk to the Montford Point Marines themselves. He told them how he had contacted Montford Point Museum Director Finney Greggs and began to interview people for the book, then realized that he didn't really understand the information he had.
"I had to put it in context," Culp said.
Culp interviewed about 15 men for the book, he said, though not all of them wanted their stories included in the final version. He also dug through archives and history to find out more about what was going on at the time.
He wanted his book to be different than the other things he'd seen about Montford Point, he said.
"I wanted to put it in the context of the Marine Corps and the country at the time," Culp said. "I tried to take the memories and put them with the facts."
During his research, Culp said he came across people who would "admit that there were black Marines in World War II but said they were never overseas."
Or, they would admit they were overseas but insisted the black men were never in the fight.
Those people were clearly wrong, Culp said.
"They were there, on the beach, on the front lines, taking fire," he said.
Culp said he knew a little about the Montford Point Marines when he was in the Marine Corps but not much about how they came to be. He said he hopes his book will shed some light on the subject for the many who know nothing about the camp where black Marine recruits were trained.
Greggs said he was glad to accept the book on behalf of the museum.
"It will be here long after I'm gone," he said.
Having Culp come to the museum and meet more of the men who went through Montford Point "gives it that personal touch," Greggs said.
Col. Joel Berry, commanding officer of Camp Johnson, said he is glad to see anything that can sustain Montford Point's legacy.
"It's just great to see someone write the story," he said.
Contact military reporter Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or 353-1171, ext. 8467. To comment on this story, visit www.jdnews.com (http://www.jdnews.com).
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