IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 80
Commemorating the service to the Nation during World War II of the Afri-
can-American members of the United States Marine Corps who came 
to be known as the Montford Point Marines. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 1, 2005
Mr. EVANS (for himself, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. SNYDER, Mr. 
JONES of North Carolina, Mr. HONDA, Ms. CARSON, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. 
SCOTT of Georgia, Mrs. MCCARTHY, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. 
BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. TOWNS, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of 
Texas, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Ms. WA-
TERS, Mr. FILNER, Mr. MURTHA, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. HIGGINS, Mr. 
PAYNE, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. CONYERS, Ms. KILPATRICK of 
Michigan, and Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD) submitted the following con-
current resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Serv-
ices 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Commemorating the service to the Nation during World War 
II of the African-American members of the United States 
Marine Corps who came to be known as the Montford 
Point Marines.
Whereas during World War II the Armed Forces, including 
the United States Marine Corps, were racially segregated, 
with African-Americans serving in units separate from 
other Americans;
•HCON 80 IH 
Whereas African-American volunteers who enlisted in the 
United States Marine Corps during World War II served 
the United States in a most honorable fashion yet were 
subject to racial discrimination and harassment; 
Whereas African-Americans who underwent Marine Corps re-
cruit training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, were 
crowded into segregated substandard facilities for train-
ing separate from white Marine recruits at the western-
most portion of Camp Lejeune, in an area named 
Montford Point, giving rise to these African-American 
Marines being referred to as ‘‘Montford Point Marines’’; 
Whereas the Montford Point Marines were initially trained 
and led by white officers and noncommissioned officers; 
Whereas the Montford Point Marines endured racial harass-
ment even in combat zones by fellow service members, in-
cluding smoke grenades dropped into their camp and har-
assment by the military police; 
Whereas the Montford Point Marines and other African-
American members of the Armed Forces endured public 
comments and insults from a hostile military and civilian 
leadership; 
Whereas African-Americans from every part of the country 
continued to join the Marine Corps throughout World 
War II while serving in segregated units under duress 
without respect from the institution or the public; 
Whereas during World War II African-American Marine 
Corps units fought and served in the Pacific theatre, par-
ticipating in the liberation of the Ellice Islands, Eniwetok 
Atoll, the Marshall Islands, Kwajalein Atoll, Iwo Jima, 
Peleliu, the Marianas Islands, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, and 
Okinawa;
•HCON 80 IH 
Whereas Time Magazine’s correspondent in the Central Pa-
cific, Robert Sherrod, wrote that the African-American 
Marines first encountering combat in Saipan as 
uninitiated units were worthy of the Navy’s highest pos-
sible combat performance rating of a 4.0; 
Whereas these volunteers joined the Marine Corps to dem-
onstrate their commitment to a largely prejudiced nation, 
defied an unwarranted stereotype, and achieved distinc-
tion through brave and honorable service; 
Whereas their heroism, commitment, and valor changed long-
held attitudes within the Marine Corps and military lead-
ership of the Nation; and 
Whereas their heroism and sacrifices improved the treatment 
for future generations of African Americans in a United 
States military institution that today is widely considered 
to be nondiscriminatory and to provide an excellent op-
portunity for minorities for career advancement: Now, 
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That Congress—
(1) acknowledges a wrong and discriminatory 
policy of racial segregation in the United States Ma-
rine Corps during World War II; 
(2) recognizes that today’s United States Ma-
rine Corps provides an excellent opportunity for ad-
vancement for persons of all races, in significant 
measure due to the service and example of the Afri-
can-American members of the Marines Corps during
•HCON 80 IH 
World War II who came to be known as the 
Montford Point Marines; 
(3) honors the work of the members of the 
Montford Point Marine Association to pass along 
their experience to future generations; and 
(4) expresses the eternal gratitude of a grateful 
Nation to early African-American Marines willing to 
suffer racial discrimination while fighting for the 
Nation’s freedom and for the liberation of people in 
the Pacific.
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