Alfred Masters (1916 - 1975)

Ancestors

Contents 1 Biography 2 Military Service 3 Montford Point Marines 3.1 Links 4 Death and Burial 5 Sources

Biography

Alfred Masters was the first African American to be sworn into the United States Marine Corps. He enlisted on June 1, 1942 at 12:01 am, in Oklahoma City. He was the son of Joe Masters and Lettia Fields.

TSgt Masters first married Isabell Arch. Their marriage ended in divorce in the 1940's. They had six daughters. In 1949, he remarried to Mary Henricks and they had five children.

1. Isabell Arch
   1. Shirley Jean Masters
   2. Alfreda Dean Masters
   3. Cora Lavonne Masters Barry
   4. Sandra Kay Masters
   5. Rev Thomas Masters, Sr
   6. Walter Ray Masters
2. Mary Henricks
   1. Mary Ann Masters
   2. Kathryn Louise Masters
   3. Carolyn Donata Masters Faulkner
   4. Otto Joe Masters
   5. Alfred Dan Masters

Military Service

Honoring TSgt Alfred Masters

United States Executive Order 8802 Bans Discrimination in the National Defense Industry. This law prohibited discrimination in federal government positions and the armed forces. It was signed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt on June 25, 1941, and ended the centuries long tradition of the United State Marine Corps barring African Americans from enlisting. Other branches such as the Army and Navy allowed African Americans to serve way back since the Civil War, but they remained excluded by the Marines. This policy of exclusion and prohibiting of African Americans to serve in the USMC ended when FDR signed EO 8802. It is important to note that FDR's wife, Eleanor Roosevelt had advanced the signing of this Executive Order.

On June 1, 1942, Alfred Masters was the first African American to be sworn into the United States Marine Corps in Oklahoma City. TSgt Masters attended recruit training on August 26, 1942 at Montford Point in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The Marines of Montford Point broke ground for the right to serve amongst all who come from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

The wife of Alfred Masters, Isabel Masters recalled:

"Alfred and I were on the elevator at the post office in Oklahoma City with a Marine recruitment officer who asked Alfred if he wanted to be the first Black Marine. Of course, the answer was yes. Alfred was wearing a Langston University sweater, which prompted the recruiter to accost him. On June 1, 1942, Monday morning, one minute after midnight, Alfred was inducted into the armed services as the first Black Marine. In Texas, however, another young man was inducted one minute after 8 a.m. as the first Black Marine. However, Alfred's name is always listed first, being a degree of controversy about it." Montford Point Marines

TSgt Alfred Masters was honorably discharged from the USMC on 23 December 1945 after serving in WWII.

Montford Point Marines

The new African American recruits trained at a new base called Montford Point, named after Colonel James Montford, a heralded Civil War veteran, and whose family history was known for defending America in the American Revolution.

The Marines purchased land to establish barracks at New River, North Carolina in early 1941. It was a 1600 acre tract. The USMC set up completely separate barracks, training and recruitment depos for the Colored members. Even though Colored recruits were now accepted, there was still segregation. The Black troops stayed within their own area of Montford Point. Over 20,000 Colored recruits were trained at Montford Point from it's inception in 1942, through WWII, and up to 1949. In 1948, President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981 that ended the segregation and fully intregated the US Armed Forces. Montford Point was later renamed to Camp Johnson in honor of Sgt Major Gilbert "Hashmark" Johnson, a famous black recruit that became a drill instructor.

“The Montford Point Marines paved the way for us today. They showed America that they can fight as Marines regardless of their skin tone,” said Cpl. Jervonte Dawson, a law enforcement Marine with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Official USMC Website.

in 2011 President Barrack Obama awarded the MP Marines the Congressional Gold Medal—the highest civilian award for distinguished achievement.

Links

• McLaurin, Melton A. The Marines of Montford Point: America’s First Black Marines. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2007. ISBN 9781442997455
• Randall Library, University of North Carolian Wilmington. “Montford Point Marines: Loyalty and Service in the Face of Prejudice and Discrimination.”
• Coral Anika Theill. "World War II Montford Point Marines: Honoring And Preserving Their Legacy". Leatherneck Magazine. Archived from MCA Marines.org on February 12, 2012.
• Montford Camp becomes Camp Johnson

Death and Burial

TSgt died on June 16, 1975 in Anthony, New Mexico at age 59.

He is buried in the Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, Texas.

Sources

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XC75-78Y : accessed 22 February 2021), Alfred C Masters in household of Lettie L Masters, Yeager, Hughes, Oklahoma, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 31, sheet 3B, line 87, family 53, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1907; FHL microfilm 2,341,641.
• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VBVH-P6K : 5 January 2021), Alfred Masters in household of Lettia Masters, Yeager Township, Hughes, Oklahoma, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 32-33A, sheet 7B, line 45, family 113, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 3298.
• "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V3ZP-F31 : 10 January 2021), Alfred Masters, Jun 1975; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
• Ancestry.com. Texas, U.S., Death Certificates, 1903-1982 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Ancestry Record 2272 #1374340, Free Ancestry Image Viewer
• Shaw Jr., Henry I.; Donnelly, Ralph W. (1995). "Blacks in the Marine Corps". Air University. p. 2
• Alfred Masters Profile, Black History Month, USMC Official Website.
• Fold 3 ($): Veterans Affairs BIRLS
• Obituary: Alfred Masters, aged 59. El Paso Times, El Paso, Texas, 19 Jun 1975, Thu • Page 61

See also:

• Wikipedia: Alfred Masters
• Wikidata: Item Q4723132, en:Wikipedia
• Fold 3 Memorial Page: Alfred Masters 1916
• Family Search: PID #: L135-Q7M
• Find A Grave: Memorial #958126