Photo By Cpl. Jonah Lovy | A Montford Point Marine attends the award ceremony for the Congressional Gold Medal in...... read more read more
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The son of a Montford Point Marine received the Congressional Gold Medal in honor of his father in Beaufort June 17. Richard Bostick’s father served in the Marine Corps from 1943 to 1946 and was one of the original recruits trained at Montford Point.
Montford Point, located near Camp Lejuene N.C., was the first recruit training camp for African American Marines and operated from 1942-1949. Though approximately 20,000 Marines earned their title there during this time, African Americans were not allowed to attend the same training as white recruits.
Bostick graduated boot camp in 1943 and served overseas in World War II. He served his country honorably and retired from the Marine Corps as a corporal in 1946. Bostick lived out the rest of his life in the Beaufort area, building a family business from the ground up with his wife.
“I am incredibly honored to receive this on behalf of my father,” said Bostick. “It’s a great feeling to be here to see that my father and his fellow Montford Point Marines receive what they deserve.”
Training at Montford Point was different from training at bases like Parris Island or San Diego. The camp had no mess hall, theater, rifle range or much of anything else commonly found on a Marine Corps installation. There were only tents, and everyone at the camp was a private, except for the white drill instructors or officers.
Montford Point is historical because of the significance it played in the lives of many African American Marines. African Americans only trained for jobs that were either not wanted by white Marines or given to them because they felt that black Marines were not qualified for normal jobs.
“These Marines came in to a service that didn’t even want them at the time but they overcame the adversity and proved that they were Marines,” said Bostick.
| Date Taken: | 06.23.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.23.2016 17:39 |
| Story ID: | 202310 |
| Location: | BEAUFORT, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 230 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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