"Initially the recruits were trained by white officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) but citing a desire to have blacks train blacks, the Marines quickly singled out several exceptional black recruits to serve as NCO drill instructors. In January 1943, Edgar R. Huff became the first black NCO as a private first class. In February, Gilbert H. “Hashmark” Johnson, a 19-year veteran of the Army and Navy, became the first Drill Sergeant. By May 1943, all training at Montford Point was done by black sergeants and drill instructors (DIs), with Johnson as chief DI. Both Johnson and Huff would be renowned throughout the entire Marine Corps for their demanding training and exceptional leadership abilities."
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Gerry Butler, Montford Point Marines (1942-1949), 24 February 2007
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Edgar_Huff
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Edgar Huff
(December 2, 1919 – May 2, 1994) was the first African-American in the United States Marine Corps to be promoted to the rank of sergeant major. He served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and retired in 1972 after 30 years of service in the United States Marines.
4 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Edgar Huff →
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