Black Marine Finally Recognized Decades After World War II

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI – A 90-year-old veteran who was one of the first African Americans to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps received a Congressional Gold Medal — the highest civilian honor award bestowed by Congress — in ceremonies Tuesday.

John Willie Jordan, who served in Hawaii during World War II, was wearing his green military campaign hat when he accepted the medal from U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township.

“Our nation is better, stronger and safer because of Mr. Jordan’s service and the Montford Point Marines,” Peters, a former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, said in a statement.

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“Despite the discrimination and hardships Corporal Jordan faced during his time in service, he never lost his love for his country or his pride in the Corps,” Peters said. “Our nation owes the Montford Point Marines a debt of gratitude than can never be fully repaid, and it was my great honor to present the Montford Point Congressional Gold Medal to Mr. Jordan.”

Peters’ office also secured the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal awarded to Jordan for his service.

African Americans were brought into the Marine Corps after an executive order from President Franklin Roosevelt in 1941, and were first trained at segregated Camp Montford Point near Jacksonville, NC.

Jordan was one of the nearly 20,000 Montford Point Marines who trained at Camp Montford Point before its closure in 1949. In 2012, Congress approved legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the Montford Point Marines.

Jordan joined the Marine Corps in 1944. After his training at Montford Point, Corporal Jordan went on to serve in Hawaii during World War II, where he helped defend one of America’s most strategic locations from threats of possible attack and invasion from Japanese forces.

After being honorably discharged in 1946, Jordan returned to Flint, and worked at the General Motors (GM) and Chevrolet plants for six years before moving to Detroit and working at the Cadillac Motor Division for 25 years.

A longtime UAW member, Jordan retired after 31 years with GM. Mr. Jordan currently resides in Farmington Hills.