For the last three years, Mallorie Berger has been on a research mission to discover all 20,000 men who served as Montford Point Marines during World War II. That inspiration began after she discovered that her own grandfather — Maurice L. Burns, Sr. — was also a member of that historic unit.
“My grandfather was a trailblazer, serving in a historic and segregated Marine Corps unit at Montford Point in Jacksonville, North Carolina, part of Camp Lejeune,” Berger said.
In 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued an executive order prohibiting the armed services from barring African Americans from military duty. A direct result was the creation of Montford Point, a segregated training base that operated from Aug. 26, 1942, until Sept. 9, 1949, when the camp was decommissioned. Historically, the Montford Point Marines were the first Black recruits to serve in the Marine Corps. During WWII, the largest number of Black Marines to serve in combat took part in the seizure of Okinawa, with approximately 2,000 seeing action.
Over the last three years of researching and identifying former Montford Point Marines, Berger uncovered some incredible facts. Two men who served in the same unit as her grandfather celebrated their 100th birthdays this past November. George McIvory turned 100 on Nov. 15, and Charles Cargile Hall Sr. hit the century mark on Nov. 16.
“These men are not just centenarians, they are living monuments to their generation,” Berger said. “Their simultaneous arrival at this milestone, during the same week as the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday (Nov. 10), and Veterans Day (Nov. 11), is a moment of profound historical significance.”
To illustrate the rarity of these birthdays colliding with history, Berger shares a few facts discovered at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. Of the 16.4 million Americans who served in WWII, just over 45,000 are alive today. “The chance that these men from the same unit would both survive to see the century mark is a miracle of the highest order,” Berger added.
Commemorating their past
Born in Madison, Georgia, in 1925, Charles Cargile “C.C.” Hall was drafted in 1943, and enlisted with the Marines at Montford Point. His military service included stints in Guam and Hawaii, and he was discharged in 1946. He received a degree from Savannah State, and later, a master’s degree from Columbia University in New York. He moved to Fitzgerald, Georgia, to teach at Monitor High School, and later owned a funeral home there. Today, he is a very well-respected member of the community, so much so that a street was renamed in his honor.
In 1943, at just 18 years old, Pvt. George McIvory joined the Marines and served as an anti-aircraft gunner with the 52nd Defense Battalion; he later served in the South Pacific. Today, he is a cherished resident of Jacksonville, Florida. In honor of his birthday, the Jacksonville City Council passed a resolution that reads:
Honoring & Celebrating the 100th Birthday of Corporal George McIvory, United States Marine Corps (Montford Point Marines), a Native Son of Jacksonville, Florida, & Recognizing his Barrier-Breaking Service in the Military & Lifelong Leadership in Organized Labor & Commerce.
Honoring all Montford Point Marines
In 2011, the 20,000+ Montford Point Marines received full recognition for their efforts during WWII when President Barack Obama signed a law awarding each Marine with the Congressional Gold Medal. This also extended to deceased service members.
“The first medal ceremony where the Congressional Gold Medals were awarded (the original resides in the Smithsonian) took place in July 2012; there were nearly 400 [Montford Point Marines] awarded a bronze replica,” Berger explained. “Though my grandfather died in 1996, I received his bronze replica medal at a ceremony held in February 2022 in Jacksonville, North Carolina. There were only two medals awarded at that time. But to date, nearly 3,000 bronze replicas have been awarded, and we still have about 17,000 more to go.”
Berger knew that her grandfather served in the military. But like many World War II veterans, he never talked about his experiences.
“I just assumed he was in the Army, since he never said a word about his military service,” she recalls.
After Burns passed, she also discovered her grandfather’s Montford Point Marines “Blue Book,” a type of yearbook for trainees. In it, there were photos and notes, and specifically a group photo of all 33 trainees in Burns’ training class.
“I used this to help identify other Montford Point Marines when contacting their families,” said Berger.
In addition to Berger’s relentless research, the National Montford Point Marine Association is another great resource. Established in 1965, the association is a nonprofit veterans service organization with 29 active chapters nationwide. According to the organization’s estimates as of August 2025, there are still roughly 425 Montford Point Marines alive today.
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