Montford Point Marine, Hawaii native honored with Congressional Gold Medal [Image 2 of 8]

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HI, UNITED STATES

08.27.2012

Photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder  

Marine Corps Base Hawaii

Former U.S. Marine Sgt. William S. Harris, Jr., a World War II-era Montford Point Marine and Molokai, Hawaii, native, renders honor as the National Anthem plays during a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony held in his honor on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Aug. 27, 2012. Harris served in the Marine Corps from 1943 to 1952. He is among approximately 20,000 African-American men who joined the Marine Corps between 1942 to 1949 and received segregated recruit training at Montford Point, N.C. More than 13,000 of these Marines served overseas during World War II. U.S. House and Senate leaders awarded the medal — the highest civilian honor awarded as the utmost expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions — to the Montford Point Marines in a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center, June 27. The Commandant of the Marine Corps held a parade in their honor at Marine Barracks Washington the following day, during which they were presented replica bronze medals. Veterans who were unable to attend were honored during individual ceremonies across the U.S.

• Date Taken: 08.27.2012
• Date Posted: 08.27.2012 22:34
• Photo ID: 652977
• VIRIN: 120827-M-MM918-002
• Resolution: 2100x1434
• Size: 1.72 MB
• Location: MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HI, US