Kyle Baker never imagined he’d one day visit Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
But he did go there — to accept a Congressional Gold Medal for his late father, Jack Baker, a Montford Point Marine from Toledo.
Thirty Montford Point Marines — the nation’s first Black Marines — were presented with a replica of a Congressional Gold Medal at Lejeune Memorial Gardens on Friday. According to Mr. Baker, nine surviving members of the Montford Marines were in attendance.
“A lot of people never heard of the Montford Marines,” Kyle Baker, of Toledo, said. “Those Marines were neglected. They tried to get them to quit. The Marine Corps did not record all of what the platoon did in war, so not many of them or their families know about the award.”
The National Montford Point Marine Association, in partnership with Marine Corps Installations East-Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, hosted the event on Montford Point Marine Day.
According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Montford Point was a segregated training camp in North Carolina until World War II. The VA says before 1941, African-Americans were not allowed to serve in the Marine Corps.
“The Montford Marines’ base was right next to Camp Lejeune,” Kyle Baker said. “They had to build their own barracks from the ground up. They pulled the trees, made the planks, poured the cement, and placed their own heaters in the barracks. Nothing was given to them. You would not think our own military would be so hard or treat them like that.”
After graduating from Woodward High School, Jack Baker served in the Montford Marines from 1943 to 1946. He left service as a corporal.
“Those Marines were a test/experiment to see if they could last in the Marine Corps,” Kyle Baker said. “My father was proud he served, and he loved America. He never held a grudge, but he did not speak about it much either.”
Friday’s ceremony for the Baker family came about after a bit of serendipity as a cousin, also from Ohio, moved up the ranks in the Marine Corps.
Lt. Col. Leo Ferguson III joined the Marines out of Sandusky. He graduated from recruit training as a private in 1995.
Colonel Ferguson has served all over, including two tours of duty in Iraq.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in criminal justice from the University of Arizona and a master’s degree of science in management with an emphasis in manpower systems analysis. He also has a master’s degree in military studies from the Marine Corps University in Quantico, Va.
Colonel Ferguson is now a commander of the Marine Corps Personnel Administration School at Camp Johnson, where the Montford Marines were trained.
“I went to the museum and saw many photos of the Montford Marines,” he said. “They all tilted their hats a certain way. I remember my Uncle Jack always tilted his hat the way the Montford Marines did. The museum and I did research and found his DD214 and sure enough, he was one of the first Black Marines — a Montford Marine.”
Colonel Ferguson called his cousin, Kyle Baker, to let him know.
“We lived in Sandusky and only saw my Uncle Jack once in a while,” he said. “At reunions he would talk about his service, but not a whole lot.”
Looking back, Colonel Ferguson said he believes his Uncle Jack would be so proud of the Marine Corps and how far they have come.
“It is so awesome to see 80 years later, the Marine Corps has made so much progress,” he said. “They were the last, and most reluctant to change back then. Now, look at what I have accomplished. I am a commander where my Uncle Jack was trained.”
According to Kyle Baker, his father served in the South Pacific. His platoon captured Wake Island.
“It was rough, but my dad had a rough life,” Kyle Baker said. “His own father was lynched in Jackson, Miss., when he was 3 years old. He grew up during the Depression. He just never complained.”
Jack Baker came back from the war and went to work for the Dana Corp. on the production line. He would spend 39 years there.
“He was a two-time Golden Glove Middleweight Champion for the National Golden Glove Team in Toledo,” Kyle Baker said.
Jack Baker then became supervisor of Riverside pool, now Jamie Farr Park pool.
“My father was a swim coach, a boxing coach, and a basketball coach,” said Kyle Baker, who owns Gertie’s Premium BBQ Sauce based in Bowling Green. “He was a strong Christian man. People knew him in the north end as Mr. Baker.”
Jack Baker was married to Vernice Baker for 50 years. The couple had eight children. Jack Baker died in 2015 at the age of 90.
Kyle Baker said the survivors who attended the medal service spoke about how tough it was to be a Marine then, but they credited their drill sergeants.
“Although they were extremely tough on them, they said they were trained well and survived the war because of their training,” Kyle Baker said. “It was just a beautiful service. Like my father, my family and I hold no grudges towards the military or the government. To think that my cousin is now one of the commanders where my father was is heartwarming.”
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