Pave_VV0 the_AT Way_NN1 Staff_NN Sgt._NNB Timerlate_NP1 Kirven_NP1 and_CC Cpl_NP1 ._. 
Samuel_NP1 J._NP1 Love_NN1 read_VVD an_AT1 award_NN1 citation_NN1 for_IF the_AT Purple_JJ Heart_NN1 they_PPHS2 each_DD1 received_VVD for_IF wounds_NN2 sustained_VVN during_II the_AT Battle_NN1 of_IO Saipan_NN1 in_II 1944_MC ._. 
They_PPHS2 were_VBDR the_AT first_MD African-American_JJ Marines_NN2 to_TO receive_VVI the_AT Purple_JJ Heart_NN1 ._. 
The_AT Marine_JJ Corps_NN is_VBZ a_AT1 fighting_NN1 force_NN1 that_CST owes_VVZ its_APPGE effectiveness_NN1 in_RR21 part_RR22 to_II the_AT diversity_NN1 of_IO the_AT Marines_NN2 who_PNQS serve_VV0 in_II it_PPH1 ._. 
Unfortunately_RR ,_, this_DD1 was_VBDZ not_XX always_RR the_AT case_NN1 ._. 
Up_II21 until_II22 World_NN1 War_NN1 II_MC ,_, African-Americans_NN2 were_VBDR denied_VVN the_AT right_NN1 to_TO serve_VVI in_II the_AT Marine_JJ Corps_NN ._. 
In_II 1941_MC ,_, Executive_NN1 Order_NN1 No._NN1 8802_MC ,_, issued_VVN by_II President_NNB Franklin_NP1 D._NP1 Roosevelt_NP1 in_II 1941_MC ,_, began_VVD to_TO address_VVI the_AT discrimination_NN1 in_II employment_NN1 practices_NN2 to_TO include_VVI the_AT armed_JJ forces_NN2 ._. 
During_II the_AT second_MD world_NN1 war_NN1 ,_, the_AT nation_NN1 was_VBDZ segregated_VVN under_II the_AT Jim_NP1 Crow_NP1 laws_NN2 ,_, and_CC the_AT Marine_JJ Corps_NN was_VBDZ no_AT exception_NN1 ._. 
Black_JJ recruits_NN2 were_VBDR not_XX sent_VVN to_II either_DD1 recruit_NN1 depots_NN2 in_II Parris_NP1 Island_NNL1 ,_, S.C._NP1 ,_, or_CC San_NP1 Diego_NP1 for_IF training_NN1 but_CCB were_VBDR completely_RR segregated_VVN at_II a_AT1 new_JJ training_NN1 facility_NN1 in_II Montford_NP1 Point_NN1 ,_, N.C._NP1 Initially_RR ,_, the_AT drill_NN1 instructors_NN2 were_VBDR white_JJ ,_, but_CCB as_CSA recruits_VVZ with_IW prior_JJ service_NN1 from_II other_JJ branches_NN2 of_IO the_AT armed_JJ forces_NN2 graduated_JJ training_NN1 ,_, they_PPHS2 replaced_VVD the_AT white_JJ drill_NN1 instructors_NN2 ._. 
The_AT officers_NN2 ,_, however_RR ,_, remained_VVD white_JJ ._. 
The_AT Marine_JJ Corps_NN did_VDD not_XX have_VHI a_AT1 black_JJ officer_NN1 until_CS Frederick_NP1 C._NP1 Branch_NN1 was_VBDZ commissioned_VVN in_II 1945_MC ._. 
The_AT first_MD black_JJ recruits_NN2 volunteered_VVN in_II early_JJ June_NPM1 1942_MC ,_, and_CC three_MC months_NNT2 later_RRR stepped_VVN foot_NN1 on_II Montford_NP1 Point_NN1 Camp_NN1 to_TO begin_VVI training_NN1 as_II the_AT 51st_MD Composite_JJ Defense_NN1 Battalion_NN1 ._. 
"_" A_AT1 lot_NN1 of_IO pressure_NN1 was_VBDZ put_VVN on_II these_DD2 young_JJ men_NN2 to_TO perform_VVI to_II a_AT1 very_RG high_JJ caliber_NN1 ,_, "_" said_VVD Robert_NP1 B._NP1 Bruce_NP1 ,_, associate_JJ professor_NN1 of_IO history_NN1 at_II Sam_NP1 Houston_NP1 State_NN1 University_NN1 in_II Huntsville_NP1 ,_, Texas_NP1 ._. 
"_" Any_DD imperfection_NN1 would_VM have_VHI been_VBN seen_VVN as_II a_AT1 failure_NN1 of_IO black_JJ people_NN in_RR21 general_RR22 ._. "_" 
Two_MC battalions_NN2 ,_, the_AT 51st_MD Composite_JJ Defense_NN1 Battalion_NN1 ,_, and_CC later_RRR ,_, the_AT 52nd_MD ,_, were_VBDR specifically_RR trained_VVN for_IF combat_NN1 ._. 
The_AT battalions_NN2 were_VBDR deployed_VVN in_II the_AT Pacific_NP1 Theater_NP1 ._. 
A_AT1 total_NN1 of_IO nine_MC black_JJ Marines_NN2 died_VVD in_II World_NN1 War_NN1 II_MC ,_, and_CC these_DD2 Marines_NN2 had_VHD jobs_NN2 other_II21 than_II22 infantry_NN ,_, according_II21 to_II22 the_AT National_JJ Archives_NN2 ._. 
Before_CS the_AT desegregation_NN1 of_IO the_AT Marine_JJ Corps_NN in_II 1949_MC ,_, more_DAR than_CSN 20,000_MC Marines_NN2 passed_VVN through_II the_AT gates_NN2 of_IO Montford_NP1 Point_NN1 ._. 
Gunnery_NN1 Sgt._NNB William_NP1 D._NP1 Mike_NP1 III_MC ,_, drill_VV0 band_NN1 instructor_NN1 at_II the_AT Navy_NN1 School_NN1 of_IO Music_NN1 ,_, Norfolk_NP1 ,_, Va._NP1 ,_, said_VVD he_PPHS1 believes_VVZ his_APPGE success_NN1 and_CC the_AT way_NN1 Marines_NN2 view_VV0 each_PPX221 other_PPX222 can_VM be_VBI directly_RR credited_VVN to_II the_AT example_NN1 set_VVN by_II the_AT Montford_NP1 Point_NN1 Marines_NN2 ._. 
"_" These_DD2 men_NN2 paved_VVN the_AT way_NN1 ,_, "_" said_VVD Mike_NP1 ._. 
"_" They_PPHS2 set_VV0 the_AT precedent_NN1 for_IF the_AT African-American_JJ Marine_JJ today_RT ._. 
They_PPHS2 are_VBR the_AT backbone_NN1 of_IO what_DDQ we_PPIS2 have_VH0 today_RT for_IF our_APPGE Marines_NN2 ._. "_" 
Mike_NP1 said_VVD he_PPHS1 has_VHZ never_RR felt_VVN discriminated_VVN against_II in_II the_AT Marine_JJ Corps_NN ,_, or_CC felt_VVD as_CS21 though_CS22 his_APPGE heritage_NN1 has_VHZ had_VHN any_DD impact_NN1 on_II his_APPGE career_NN1 as_II a_AT1 Marine_JJ ._. 
"_" I_PPIS1 strongly_RR feel_VV0 that_CST the_AT Marine_JJ Corps_NN has_VHZ made_VVN tremendous_JJ strides_NN2 across_II the_AT board_NN1 for_IF all_DB Marines_NN2 ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
"_" All_DB Marines_NN2 are_VBR now_RT given_VVN an_AT1 opportunity_NN1 to_TO do_VDI things_NN2 that_CST back_NN1 when_CS segregation_NN1 played_VVD a_AT1 part_NN1 ,_, they_PPHS2 would_VM not_XX be_VBI able_JK to_TO ._. "_" 
