the official account.]

[Footnote 4-13: Memo, CMC for Off in Charge, Eastern,
Central, and Southern Recruiting Divs, 15 May 42,
sub: Enlistment of Colored Personnel in the Marine
Corps, AP-54 (1535), MC files. The country was
divided into four recruiting divisions, but black
enlistment was not opened in the west coast
division on the theory that there would be few
volunteers and sending them to North Carolina would
be unjustifiably expensive. Only white marines were
trained in California. This circumstance brought
complaints from civil rights groups. See, for
example, Telg, Walter White to SecNav, 14 Jul 42,
AP-361, MC files.]

[Illustration: MARINES OF THE 51ST DEFENSE BATTALION _await turn on
rifle range, Montford Point, 1942_.]

The enlistment process proved difficult. The commandant reported (p. 102)
that despite predictions of black educators to the contrary the corps
had netted only sixty-three black recruits capable of passing the
entrance examinations during the first three weeks of recruitment.[4-14]
As late as 29 October the Director of Plans and Policies was reporting
that only 647 of the scheduled 1,200 men (the final strength figure
decided upon for the all-black unit) had been enlisted. He blamed the
occupational qualifications for the delay, adding that it was doubtful
"if even white recruits" could be procured under such strictures. The
commandant approved his plan for enlisting Negroes without specific
qualifications and instituting a modified form of specialist training.
Black marines would not be sent to specialist schools "unless there is
a colored school available," but instead Marine instructors would be
sent to teach in the black camp.[4-15] In the end many of these first
black specialists received their training in nearby Army
installations.

[Footnote 4-14: Memo, CMC for SecNav, 23 Jun 42,
AP-54 (1535-110), MC files.]

[Footnote 4-15: Memo, Dir, Div of Plans and Policies,
for CMC, 29 Oct 42, sub: Enlistment of Colored
Personnel in the Marine Corps Reserve, AO-320, MC
files.]

Segregation was the common practice in all th