Title: Marines Announce Plans for Recruiting African-Americans
Category: Press Release
Author/Presenter: Department of the Navy
Date: 20 May 1942
NAVY DEPARTMENT
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS AND RADIO
MAY 20, 1942
MARINES ANNOUNCE PLANS FOR RECRUITING NEGROES IN USMC
The first battalion of Negroes, numbering about 900, will be enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve during the months of June and July, it was announced at U.S. Marine Corps Headquarters.
Those volunteers will form a composite battalion which is a unit including all combat arms of the ground forces composed of artillery, anti-aircraft, machine guns, tank and infantry, and including also billets for recruits who are skilled in various trades and occupations such as radio operators, electricians, accountants, carpenters, draftsmen, band musicians, riggers and blacksmiths.
Until a training center is ready for their reception recruits will be temporarily placed in an inactive duty status. The training center will be in the vicinity of New River, North Carolina where a large Marine Corps post is now located. As required, Negro recruits will be ordered directly from their homes to duty in this training area.