Celebrating Black History Month: John E. Rudder, first African American commissioned officer in regular USMC

 

John Earl Rudder, born October 4, 1924 in Paducah, Kentucky, became the first African American to be commissioned into the regular United States Marine Corps.  Frederick C. Branch became an officer in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1946.

He enlisted into the Marines and served during WWII.  After the war, he graduated from the Naval Reserve Officer's Training Corps.  He received his commission as 2nd Lieutenant in the USMC, May 28, 1948.  He entered the Marine Corps' Basic School at the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia in August, but resigned in 1949.

The FBI put him under long-term surveillance, suspecting him as being a communist. Rudder moved to Washington DC and became activists, protesting war and discrimination.

I had a lot of trouble finding any images or videos of Rudder, so I couldn't find any more information after 1967.  He passed away in 2006 in Paducah, Kentucky.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: France L Silva, Medal of Honor Recipient

France Silva, born May 8, 1876 in Hayward, California, joined the Marine Corps in September 1899 in San Francisco and was assigned to the USS Newark.  In May 1900, Private France Silva was a member of the Legation Guards when the Newark sailed for China to help land allied troops to assist civilians during the Boxer Rebellion.

On June 23, 1900, the Regiment, under the command of Major Littleton Waller entered the Tianjin to protect the civilians and forced the Chinese forces to retreat.  Private Silva, along with several other marines and two sailors, earned the Medal of Honor in their defense of the civilian compound at Beijing.  He became the first US Marine of Mexican-American and Hispanic heritage to receive the Medal of Honor.

Silva passed away in April 1951 in Red Bluff, California.

Happy birthday, astronaut James Buchli!

James Buchli, born June 20, 1945 in New Rockford, North Dakota, flew into space four times with NASA's Space Shuttle program.  He graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1967 and received a commission in the US Marine Corps.  He served in the Vietnam War as a Platoon Commander with the 9th Marine Regiment, and then for B Company, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion.  He returned to the US in 1969 and completed his training as a naval flight officer. 

Buchli was chosen as an astronaut in 1979.  His first flight was aboard Discovery (STS-51-C) as mission specialist in January 1985.  The mission was dedicated to the US Department of Defense, and he returned to Earth after just over 3 days in space.

His second mission was aboard Challenger (STS-61-A) as flight engineer in October-November 1985, the last successful mission of the Challenger.  He spent seven days in space.

Buchlil's third mission was aboard Discovery (STS-29) as mission specialist in March 1989 to insert a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) into orbit. He spent almost 5 days in space before returning to Earth.

His fourth and final mission was aboard Discovery (STS-48) as mission specialist in September 1991 to deploy the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS).  He returned to Earth after more than 5 days in space.

Buchli retired from NASA in 1992

Celebrating Black History Month: Michael Langley first Black four-star general in USMC

Michael Langley, born in Shreveport, Louisiana, became the first black four-star general in the United States Marine Corps in history.

He graduated from University of Texas at Arlington with a degree in information systems analysis.  He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marines.  Since then he has served in Afghanistan, served as commander of the US Marine Forces-Europe and Africa, deputy commander of the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic.

In June 2022, Langley was nominated for promotion to general and assignment as commander of the US Africa Command, and was confirmed by the Senate in August 2022, making him the first black 4-star general in the 246-year history of the USMC.

Hasbro introduces G.I. Joe 1964

The toy company Hasbro introduced its line of action figures, G.I. Joe February 2, 1964. Initially, it represented four branches of the US military: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines.  The action figures were 12" in the beginning, but reintroduced in 1982 as a 3.75" scale and a background story involving the evil Cobra organization. 

Since the mindset in the 60s was that boys did not play with dolls, parents wouldn't buy their sons dolls, since they were for girls.  Hasbro always used the term "action figure" and never "doll" in the marketing of G.I. Joe. 

I remember the sailor figure had a beard (I think). I enjoyed many hours of playing with my G.I. Joe toys.  I watched the animated series in the 1980s some, and fell in love with Shipwreck.  He's still my favorite even though he wasn't in the original release.

G.I. Joe was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Pop Culture Hall of Fame in 2017.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Minnie Spotted Wolf, first Native American woman to enlist in US Marine Corps

Minnie Spotted-Wolf, born in 1923 in Heart Butte, Montana of the Blackfoot tribe, was the first Native American woman to enlist in the US Marine Corps.  She enlisted in the Marine Corps Women's Reserve in July 1943.  During her service, she served on bases in California and Hawai'i, working as a heavy equipment operator and a driver for general officers.  She left the Corps in 1947 and spent 29 years as a teacher.  She passed away in 1988.

A section of US Highway 89 in Montana was dedicated to her in 2019.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Christopher Loria, retired Hispanic astronaut

Christopher Loria, born July 9, 1960 in Newton, Massachusetts, is a retired NASA astronaut.  He was scheduled to pilot the Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-113) in November 2002, but a serious back injury grounded him. In the fall of 2004, his injuries were determined to be inoperable and this resulted in his being medically disqualified from future space flights. He requested to be re-assigned to the Marine Corps.  He retired as an astronaut in 2005.

Celebrating Asian-American Heritage Month: Kurt Chew-een Lee, first Asian American Marine officer

Kurt Chew-een Lee, born January 21, 1926 in San Francisco, California to Chinese immigrants, is the first Asian-American to become an officer in the US Marine Corps.  He was in high school when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and he joined the Marine Corps in 1944.  He graduated from The Basic School, USMC officer training in 1946 as second lieutenant, becoming the first non-white officer and the first Asian-American officer in the Marine Corps.

He served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War.  He attained the rank of major on January 1, 1963 and retired in 1968.  He was awarded the Navy Cross, the Silver Star and two Purple Hearts.  He passed away in March 2014.

Celebrating Black History Month: Frank Petersen, first African-American Marine Corps general

Frank Petersen, born March 2, 1932 in Topeka, Kansas, was the first African-American Marine Corps aviator and the first African-American Marine Corps general.

He enlisted in the US Navy in June 1950 and served as an electronics technician, but he vowed to a combat pilot.  He entered the Naval Aviation Cadet Program in 1951 and completed flight training in October 1952.  He accepted a commission as second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.  He served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War.  

In February 1979, he was promoted to brigadier general, the first African-American to achieve the rank in the US Marine Corps.  In May 1983, he was promoted to major general and in June 1986, to lieutenant general.  He was Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command in Quantico, VA in July 1988 when he retired.  

He passed away in August 2015 from lung cancer.