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Marine Corps League Presents Chapel of the Four Chaplains Legion of Honor Award to Two Montford Point Marines
"Montford Point Marines" were African Americans who, due to military segregation policy, were required to train separately from whites.
On Saturday May 14, 2016, two members of the Montford Point Marine Association of Philadelphia were presented with the Legion of Honor Award of the Chapel of the Four Chaplains Foundation. The honorees were honored for their self-less service to the community and to the Montford Point Marine Association. They are the Rev. Dr. John Baily and Odell Young of the MPMA. The presentation was made by Earle Drake, Chairman of the Chapel of the Four Chaplains program for the Marine Corps League, Department of PA and a member of the Gen. Smedley D. Butler Detachment of the Marine Corps League headquartered in Newtown Square. Earle was assisted by Department of PA First District One Vice Commandant Dan Murray. Dan is currently working with the Penndelphia Detachment, attempting to revitalize that Detachment.
Due to segregation policies in the military from 1942 to 1948, African American Marine recruits were trained at Camp Montford Point in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Approximately 20,000 African American men were trained there. In 1948, President Harry Truman ordered the desegregation of all United States military services. In 2012, the Montford Point Marines were invited to Washington, D.C. where they were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of their service to the United States.
The first photo shows, left to right, Richard Bright, MPMA, Dan Murrary, First District Vice Commandant, MCL Dept. of Pa, Honoree the Reverend Dr. John Baily, Earle Drake, Chairman Chapel of the 4 Chaplains, MCL Dept. of PA, and Joseph Geeter National Public Relations Officer and National Legislative Officer, MPMA.
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The second photo shows the same individuals except Legion of Honor Honoree Odell Young, center.
The Chapel of the Four Chaplains was created to memorialize four U.S. Army Chaplains who gave up their life jackets and prayed together when their transport ship, the U.S.A.T Dorchester, was torpedoed eighty miles south of Greenland on February 3, 1943. The Chaplains, who gave up their lives for fellow servicemen, came from different faiths and backgrounds.
