U.S. Ambassador Mr. Theodore R. Britton Jr. talks about his World War II service as one of the first 20,000 Black Americans in the United States Marine Corps.

Ambassador Britton graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Training at Montford Point in 1944, before serving in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

After his tenure in the Marine Corps, Britton transitioned into the United States Department of State and continued his service as an Ambassador to Barbados and Grenada, along with a host of other titles and positions. The Montford Point Marines is the name we give to a trailblazing group of African American men who joined the United States Marine Corps and served in a racially segregated military. Their story is one of resilience, courage, and dedication, and it highlights the progress that has been made in the ongoing struggle for racial equality in the United States.