Two Jacksonville-based Camp Montford Point Marines were honored with Congressional Gold Medals at City Hall today.
Camp Montford in North Carolina was a segregated base where African-Americans Marines were trained from 1942 to 1949.
Approximately 23,000 were trained there. Many served in Europe and the Pacific.
Legislation to honor Camp Montford Marines was signed into law in November of 2011.
The two honored at City Hall were unable to attend an earlier ceremony in Washington.
Corporal Vincent Calhoun and Private First Class Leroy Jones Junior were given their medals, a plaque and flags that had flown over the Capitol by U.S. Representatives Corrine Brown and Ander Crenshaw.
Commander of Marine Forces South General Blake Crowe says the recognition of Camp Montford marines is long overdue.
He also says the Marine Corp has lost contact with many from Montford and asks anyone who served or knows someone who did to contact their local veterans service center.
