A North Carolina veteran can now boast about receiving the highest civilian honor awarded by the U.S. government in recognition for his Marine Corps service at a time of segregation.
The Rocky Mount Telegram reports that 93-year-old Allen Seth Johnson received the Congressional Gold Medal on Saturday as a surviving Montford Point Marine. They served during World War II and rest of the 1940s at a time Marines were trained separately at a camp next to North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune called Montford Point.
Johnson and the other Marines faced harsh racism in broader American society even as they were breaking down barriers in the military.
Johnson choked up with tears after receiving his medal and award plaque, thanking supporters at the ceremony in Nashville.
