First black Marines receive Congressional Gold Medal

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Today the Marines took a big step toward making sure an important piece of -- history won't soon be forgotten.

National security correspondent Jennifer Griffin looks at the significance.

Of the -- point Marines.

The army's buffalo soldiers and the Tuskegee airmen are red tails have had their day.

Today the mob for -- point Marines had theirs 400 of the first black Marines given the congressional gold medal.

-- We imagine that anything like this would ever happen in our -- not.

Seventy years ago when they enlisted there were still Jim Crow laws in the south.

It was 1942.

President Franklin Roosevelt had just ordered the military to -- blacks.

The Marines were the last service to do so.

Got off the busted off -- point -- -- -- -- rude awakening at.

They were taken to a segregated separate section of Camp Lejeune.

The first recruits had to clear five and a half acres of land with their own hands at Mumford point -- -- -- Rattlesnakes.

They hurts and alligators around that can't.

Marine commandant general James Amos described the discrimination and there were put back -- -- put up in the coal car which is right behind the locomotive.

Then that's where they strayed into Iran to judge to -- North Carolina but there was a reluctance to put him right near the battle.

And it would run ammunition out there -- lines in places like total loop.

Eventually Iwo jima eventually they fought side by side with white Marines in those iconic battles then breaking barriers back home.

Win the white drivers.

In Jacksonville.

Would refuse to take the fellas back to camp and so they get and then you know be on duty and not get punished.

It was quite Marines who commandeered the buses and drove them back to can't.

One famous former -- for point marine became New York City mayor David Dinkins.

For many of the 20000 month for plain Marines but may be too late.

It's a great honor and -- it finished -- book club.

The cubs but what can I just love my wife and -- done here we're patient.

At the Pentagon Jennifer Griffin Fox News.

We salute them for their service.

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First black Marines receive Congressional Gold Medal

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