| Original caption: “Two recruits in a light tank during training in mechanized warfare.” African American Marine tankers train with the M3 “Stuart” light tank. This example has its coaxial M1919 Browning 30 caliber (7.62 millimeter) removed from the turret, next to the M6 37 millimeter (1.45-inch) gun. The tankers wear M1938 helmets and herringbone twill utility uniforms. Note that the driver ports are closed. 2 large fuel tanks are on the engine deck behind the Marine tankers. Montford Point became the recruit depot for all African Americans who entered the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps spent 3/4 of a 1,000,000 dollars to construct and enlarge Montford Point to begin training African American Marines by the last week of August 1942. These were the 1st African Americans ever to serve in the Marine Corps. This African American recruit depot existed for approximately 7 years because United States President Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) issued Executive Order 9981 in 1948, which banned color bias in the United States military forces. In September 1949, Headquarters Company, Montford Point Camp, was deactivated. The African American Marines commemorate their duty there by forming the Montford Point Marine Association, which still exists. Before the war, United States Marine Corps Major Pat Terry (November 3, 1899 – June 18, 1972) was a founding editor for Newsweek Magazine. Terry, a Royal Army Lieutenant in World War I, immigrated to the United States to perform on vaudeville. English actress Dame Ellen Terry (February 27, 1847 – July 21, 1928) was his great aunt. He paid the bills as a radio operator on tramp steamers between the wars until he joined Newsweek. The Marine Corps offered him a commission, and he joined on January 5, 1943, as a Public Relations Officer. Lieutenant Faith Watkins (July 6, 1918 – April 22, 1976) was assigned as his Executive Officer on July 13, 1943. Faith left the Marines on July 28, and Pat was discharged on August 18, 1944. They were married soon after. The couple turned down jobs that didn’t offer both of them work; Parade Magazine hired the team. Faith wrote copy, and Pat took photos. They lived and worked out of a 29-foot trailer they drove around the country, writing stories for Parade. Later, Pat was editor of the Vancouver Sun; he retired from that job in 1964. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0923.jpg |
| Image Size | 463.08 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2676 x 1963 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Marine Corps |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | April 1, 1943 |
| Location | Montford Point |
| City | Camp Lejune |
| State or Province | North Carolina |
| Country | United States |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NWDNS-127-N-5320-B |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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