By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
When Charles Cargile Hall, a native of Madison, Ga., returned home from college for the Christmas holiday in 1943, a letter marked, “I need you,” was waiting for him. It was a draft notice requiring him to join the U.S. military during World War II.
Within weeks, Hall traded his university books for military fatigues and found himself among the first Black men to integrate the U.S. Marine Corps. At the tender age of Montford Point Marines. At Montford Point in Jacksonsville, N.C., he entered a world of strict discipline and palpable racial discrimination.
“You had to realize you were in a segregated camp— all Black except for the commissioned officers,” said Hall. “In all of my days in the Marine Corps, there were no commissioned officers that were Black.”
Hall and his fellow recruits endured grueling training. They were ordered to run everywhere and slept in cramped Quonset huts with no lights. Each morning, they reported for drills under constant supervision.
During his service, Hall served in Guam and Hawaii. While sailing to Guam, he recalled that as they neared the island, the Marines were ordered to move through the water in groups of three. That way if someone struggled, the others could pull him along by his belt.
As they prepared to breach the island, he remembered a frightening message given to him.
“The Navy man told us, ‘I wish you well, but now I’m going to ask you to make a commitment, and that commitment is you give your soul to God and your body to your country,’” said Hall.
Once on land, Hall said bullets began to fly.
Though many did make the ultimate sacrifice, Hall’s life was spared.
He served until 1946, and returned home to finish college, ultimately obtaining degrees from Savannah State University and Columbia University.
On Nov. 16, Hall will celebrate his 100th birthday. He hopes he and his fellow Marines’ service will not be forgotten.
“I’d like the Montford Point Marines to be remembered as strong, courageous and dedicated American citizens,” he said.
Despite being trailblazers, the contributions of the Montford Point Marines have not received as much attention as units, like the Tuskegee Airmen.
The lack of recognition has driven Mallorie Berger, granddaughter of Montford Point Marine Maurice L. Burns, to preserve and share their stories. For the past three years, Berger has dedicated herself to identifying the men who served, tracking down their families and ensuring they are properly honored with the bronze replica Congressional Gold Medal awarded to the unit in 2012.
Berger herself grew up knowing her grandfather served in the military, but only discovered he had been a Montford Point Marine after uncovering old photos, letters and military records.
“It wasn’t easy for these men. They were abused. They were mistreated,” said Berger. “I’ve heard stories of one Montford Pointer being forced to stand at attention on the banks of one of the waterways in Jacksonville with a lit cigarette in his mouth and a bucket over his head.”
She also learned that her grandfather struggled with chronic back problems as a result of his service, and by 1969 was fully disabled. One of his letters revealed that he was trying to secure medical coverage, but the Department of Veterans Affairs doubted his injuries.
Berger remains committed to learning the stories of every Montford Point Marine, including the 33 men that he served with— one of whom is Hall. She hopes more people will take time to dig into their family history.
“Be curious. Talk to your elders and record them,” said Berger. “I find that as people get older, they loosen their filters and they’re willing to tell you things they may not have shared years ago. You might change someone’s life just by sitting down and having a conversation.”
