By Juanita Nash-Dahlen, Haweda Nash, and Katinus Nash
On Friday, August 23, 2024 during a moving ceremony, the families of 30 Montford Point Marines were posthumously awarded replicas of the Congressional Gold Medal, on behalf of their grandfathers, fathers, uncles, brothers, nephews, and cousins who served at Montford Point, as part of Camp Lejeune, in Jacksonville, North Carolina between 1942 and 1949. These African-American men served at a time when the Marine Corps and other branches of the military did not want them and Jim Crow laws ruled throughout the South.
One of those Marines was Master Sergeant (Ret) Ira James Nash, deceased, of San Diego. Ira Nash joined the Marines in 1946, and despite the hardships he encountered at Montford Point, he made the Marine Corps his career, serving overseas in Korea and Japan, as well as stateside in North and South Carolina and ultimately, at Camp Pendleton. Due to a medical issue, he was placed on temporary disability retirement in 1968. During this period, he worked as a Supervisor of Receptionists at the Naval Training Center in San Diego. He was later medically discharged in 1973. However, during the period of his temporary disability retirement, M/Sgt. Nash used the time to focus on pursuing his education and becoming active in local community affairs. He completed high school and received his diploma at the Adult Education Center for San Diego Community College and later enrolled in Chapman College. He became a community leader of Continuing Adult Education for the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD). In 1970, the residents of Southeastern San Diego wanted an educational and cultural center, so the Educational Cultural Complex (ECC) policy board was formed. Serving on the College District’s newly created Policy Council, Mr. Nash was instrumental in the formation of the ECC to provide educational and cultural opportunities to this disadvantaged community.
In 1972, the SDCCD, the city and county of San Diego began pooling funds to buy the property on which to build the ECC. Sadly, he passed away before he could witness the groundbreaking for the facility in 1974 and the ongoing impact it has had on San Diego to date. In addition, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Southeast Optimist Club, a member of the Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Society, and President of the Southeast Adult Alumni Association. He also volunteered as a deputy sheriff for San Diego County.
Montford Point Marines were not recruited, but after President Franklin Roosevelt signed the executive order allowing Black men to serve in all branches of the military, they volunteered from all walks of life. When they arrived at Camp Lejeune, they were sent to Montford Point Camp, which at that time was an undesirable mosquito-infested swamp. They drained the swamp, dug out the land, cleared dilapidated buildings, and built barracks and other training facilities for themselves. Only after this was accomplished, were they allowed to start boot camp. They labored under racist white drill instructors who subjected them to the harshest of training, designed to humiliate, demoralize, demean, and ultimately cause them to fail. Yet, against all odds, these men persevered and did not fail! The first waves of men who joined in 1942 and 1943 saw action in the South Pacific and served in some of the toughest battles and expeditions of World War II. In all, 20,000 Montford Point Marines served between 1942 and 1949. Sadly, due to lost records from a fire at the federal repository and the reluctance of the men to speak about their time in the service with their families, only 3,000 of the original Montford Pointers have been identified. The search is on-going for the remaining 17,000 and each year, more and more Montford Point Marines are identified. But they need your help.
San Diego is a military town and many of your family members or neighbors may be Montford Pointers and they deserve to be recognized for their extraordinary service. Family members are encouraged to contact the Montford Point Marine Association (montfordpointmarines.org) to learn more about this critical part of history and perhaps, their fathers’ or grandfathers’ place in it. On August 23rd, Dr. James T. Averhart, Jr. (CWO5, USMC-Ret.) and President of National Montford Point Marine Association, Inc. gave a brief history of Montford Point Marine Day. He closed out his remarks by stating, “This is not just African-American history, or Marine Corps history, this is American history!” As such, we all need to learn from it!
On behalf of M/Sgt. Ira J. Nash, his children thank the Montford Point Marine Association for tirelessly working to ensure that the legacy of Montford Point will live on.
