January 15, 1949 Oscar Palmer Austin, Medal of Honor recipient, was born in Nacogdoches, Texas. Austin joined the United States Marine Corps in April, 1968. He was promoted to private first class in October, 1968 and deployed to the Republic of Vietnam where he served as ammunitions man with Company E, 2nd Battalion 7th Marines, […]
Tag Archives | Marine Corps
December 13th in African American History – Dale Raymond Wright
December 13, 2009 Dale Raymond Wright, award-winning and barrier-breaking journalist, died. Wright was born July 19, 1923 in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. He was among the first group of African Americans to serve in the United States Marine Corps during World War II and attained the rank of staff sergeant. After the war, he earned his undergraduate […]
August 15th in African American History – Jesse Brown
August 15, 2002 Jesse Brown, the first African American to serve as United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, died. Brown was born March 27, 1944 in Detroit, Michigan but grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1963 and reached the rank of corporal. While serving during the Vietnam […]
July 19th in African American History – Dale Raymond Wright
July 19, 1923 Dale Raymond Wright, award winning and barrier-breaking journalist, was born in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. Wright served in the Marine Corps in the Pacific theater during World War II, where he attained the rank of staff sergeant. After the war, he earned his undergraduate degree from Howard University and then graduated with honors from […]
Rodney Maxwell Davis – April 7th in African American History
April 7, 1942 Rodney Maxwell Davis, Medal of Honor recipient, was born in Macon, Georgia. Davis enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1961 and by 1966 had been promoted to sergeant. By September 6, 1967, he was serving as a platoon guide with Company B, First Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division in […]
March 5th in African American History – Robert Henry Jenkins, Jr.
March 5, 1969 Robert Henry Jenkins, Jr., Medal of Honor recipient, was killed in action. Jenkins was born June 1, 1948 in Interlachen, Florida. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1968 and within two months was promoted to private first class. On March 5, 1969, while serving as a Marine Gunner with […]
February 23rd in African American History – Oscar Palmer Austin
February 23, 1969 Oscar Palmer Austin, Medal of Honor recipient, was killed in action. Austin was born January 15, 1949 in Nacogdoches, Texas and joined the United States Marine Corps in April, 1968. He was promoted to private first class in October, 1968 and deployed to the Republic of Vietnam where he served as ammunitions […]