Early Years

• Born May 11, 1923 in Brunswick County Virginia (near Lawrenceville VA- County seat
• Rural area- call it country
• Family of 16- Mr. Reavis 5th child out of the 16, 2nd oldest son
• Seven (7) boys and nine(9) girls
• Raised on farm
• Grandmothers father inherited part of the plantation
• Didn’t go to school much as others because of the distance
• Grammar school located in an area called Greentown
• One high school …was 13 miles away Lawrenceville
• Very few went to school because of lack of transportation
• Attended grammar school
• Worked full time on another farm- farm had tobacco, cotton, corn, wheat sugar cane for syrup
• Livestock, chicken, cows, mules ….a few people had horses
• First job at age 8 years old…worked for his great uncle, great uncle paid father for his work, for him being on the farm
• Stayed between 9 and 10 years old
• Had to go to a spring for drinking water… did not have running water
• Great uncle’s kids were older and had left the farm so was sent by his parents to help great uncle
• By age 10 moved—during Depression came when 7 years old (1929) year grandmother (?) passed
• Without education- put the land in debt and nobody had money
• Land was confiscated for her burial
• Family had to move to another place, smaller house now they were sharecroppers
• Income for living on farm
• Older children hired out to bring in income-sharecropping is still working on somebody else’s farm and they are paying my father to work there
• $15.00 per month

Military

• At 16 Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) – Roosevelt started this in 1933
• Was paid $30.00 per month
• $25.00 of this went to family
• Got $5.00 to live on
• CCC part of Army Reserve
• Reserve Officer wore Army uniforms- where was when war broke out
• Army took a lot of CCC right in the Army since already trained from CCC
• Left went to work for U.S. Navy at Yorktown VA
• Work included filling bombs/warheads for torpedoes
• Got drafted in Marine Corps-beginning 1942 at age 19
• Was deferred for one year because working for government
• 1943 had report- Montford Point- all Negroes had to report to Montford Point
• 2 races of people- Caucasian and Negroes
• Montford Point was in swamp area and part of Camp Lejeune- Camp Lejeune near town of Jacksonville
• Did not have barracks…made huts out of cardboard materials- Soldiers built these huts themselves
• There was snakes, bears everything in there
• Typical day-no pavement all ground, dirt, when it rained it was mud…trained on this type of ground
• 16 soldiers in huts, heat with potbellied stoves called [skull] buckets coal was heated in skull buckets ….one each day at 6:00 evening this was all the heat for 16 people and this was all got one day
• Food was regular mess hall- was tents then the moved from tent to ‘shotgun-type building
• Limited amount of food
• Marines could not gain weight because they only had a certain size of uniform so had to stay the size of the uniform
• Six (6) largest (blouse) people call it a coat
• If need anything larger would be put out
• Ate what they gave which usually was 1 meat, 2 slices bread, 1 milk

Military Training

• Everybody entered the Marine Corps a Private…there were no Negro non-commissioned officers
• All non-commissioned officers were white
• Training was done by white people…no Black Marines, no Negro officers
• Everybody had to be trained, every person went through boot camp
• Stayed until enough Negroes were trained
• First six (6) Negro trained would be drilled instructors, NCO’s Sergeants
• Eight (8) weeks training…couple weeks combat
• After eight (8) weeks shipped out to Pacific
• 51 and 52 Defense Battalion
• 40 some depots
• 12-13 ammunition companies
• Did supply work—depot handling equipment
• Duty stations---Did 21 ½ years---every 2 years different stations at certain rank
• Specialty 0369 – Infantry –could have more than one specialty, i.e. carried four ( infantry, investigator, supply, drill instructor
• Served Naval Stations in lot of places including Philadelphia, Hawaii
• Drill Instructor for Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) 2 years before retirement
• Was Rifle Range Coach…taught people how to shoot
• Ammunition to front line
• Clothing food
• Supplied people on line
• Somebody need to know how to inspect ammunition
• Some ammunition from World War I was still used…had to inspect this ammunition to make sure it was usable
• Get rid of gas from World War I take gas one day to sea on barge…then dump it , then come back…had to wear a special suit because of asbestos
• Making sure people in combat got equipment safe (including weapons)

Family Life: While in the Military

• Drafted 19 …1943 –married at age 20 1943
• Spouse could not go with soldier at that time…didn’t have area for family unless had money
• Few women in service at that time
• Spouse stayed with parents, or apartment if they had money
• Had to get permission to get married
• Had to be at least a Sergeant in rank to get married
• There was no money for family in a soldiers pay
• Sergeant was paid $72.00 per month out of that $7.00 was taken out for insurance [$10,000] The remainder of the money was to take care of all supplies soaps, haircuts, mend clothes, replace torn clothing
• Utilities- dungarees, overalls, wear everyday …need at least 2 pair in good condition
• Wore canvas leggings, laced on the side
• 2 pairs shoes ( a pair for everyday wear and a pair for dress)
• Uniform was field jacket, 1 rifle, 1 bayonet (?), 1 knife, 1 canteen, first aid kit
• Soldiers were required to write a letter every day to family (wife, mother, father etc.)
• During war overseas…mail was censored...by the time love ones received the mail, more than half of what was written was taken out [erased] this was due to privacy issues….could not include location in letter
• Mail was free also cigarettes free
• Very rare to find a soldier who did not smoke
• Food was mostly canned
• There was infantry cooks and field cooks
• Stoves [tar pits] burners
• Field rangers—maybe one hot meal a day
• Issues ration to last...3 days ration in backpack (1 can for breakfast, 1 can for lunch 1 can for dinner) nine cans in backpack to carry around everyday
• Biscuits were thin and hard, had beans and spam and small cans of fruit
• People survived nourishing food
• Infantryman could be out 2 to 2 months (in Marine Corps) they would come back in for a week or 2 then back out…
• Everybody would be in Infantryman at one time
• Supplies for all people….each person needs same thing
• Company------Division 30,000 people

Military / Entertainment

• No entertainment in the woods
• USO come to nearby area
• They would set up place, stage put on a show
• Movie- portable type…hooked up to a generator...reels would stay approximately a month
• Played intramural sports---platoons paid against each platoons
• Had to make your own equipment/to use in these sports
• At the end of the time in military, got more into modern time
• No leave for servicemen when overseas Can’t let people go into town because the enemy was in the towns …so had to make sure men stayed away from town
• Europe different than Pacific… Europe bigger and city Pacific small, island Japan very rural and during that time women walked behind men
• Many people(servicemen) died from eating the food of the land…natives could eat and they were ok but not others…some of the food would cause death
• Officers/NCO) had to teach people under them what to do
• Men will be men…can’t let them involved with the women…guards had to set parameters for the men…everyone was a guard at some point
• Punishment could be death. No time for Court Marshall.

Military/Codes

• Navy Law – Rocks and Shoals
• Army Law- Articles of War
• Includes enlisted officers & enlisted
• Prior to these laws whatever officer says would stick
• Army Navy were only one (military) then
• Air Force under Army (?)
• Coast Guard under Navy
• No such word as ‘stress’ used then- most people would say “he’s losing it"
• Now they say he is “sick” today
• Drugs then were marijuana, cocaine, not all the things [drugs] like today
• They were called “addict” period
• [Interviewer used PC meaning “political correct” but interviewee thought meant PC “the drug”]
• Caught with any kind of “dope” they were kicked out

Today

• [Highlighting pictures in his home during the interview]
• 3 friends ( they were overseas together) and have maintained a friendship all these years
• They were all from different parts of Virginia ( Lawrenceville, Dansville, Martinsville)
• Occupation of the three 2 barbers and 1 dentist
• The other two did not retire from service
• Montford Point They meet up at a convention every year
• There is a roll call at the convention and a moment of silence and prayer for those who have passed on
• They lose between 20/30 each year
• Since last year , they have lost 42 members
• The Montford Point Association convention was in San Diego last year (2012 or 2013
• Everybody is 85 + ….Convention attendees (Montford Point Marine)ages range from 85 to 100 years old
• Some are wheelchair bound and are usually accompanied by wives/daughters
• Some are great grandfathers

Facts Almost Never Found in Books

• Received the Montford Point Congressional Gold Medal – the highest medal a civilian can receive
• They award was given to them because they refused to accept conditions
• Years 1946-1948 with pivotal year being 1947 Montford Point
• All reserves in for duration of war +6 months after
• A lot did not accept discharge
• Was discharged here in San Diego then went to Baltimore and re-enlisted
• After war, wanted to send them back to Montford Point but would not go back to Montford
• They would take rank in hopes that would prevent them from re enlisting
• Almost became Marine against Marine
• 1948 Truman issues Executive Order integrated all military service- integrated in all countries
• However people didn’t recognize integrated service until 1961
• Congress voted 100% they should receive something for the way Montford responded to their treatment
• Congressional Gold Medal- valor civilian
• Will not see anything in movie that Blacks were there
• There was a Black man among those who raised the flag at Iwo Jima, a friend of mine named Thomas McPhatter he went [attended] Johnson C. Smith University seminary, Chaplain , rose to rank of full Captain in Navy
• There were no Black Marines mentioned in the Quantico Virginia Marine Corps Marine
• 167 years no Negroes
• In 1776 Negroes ran away in slavery with Washington, served but there were not called Marines- crossed with Washington
• Disbanded Navy completely
• 1886 Brought Navy back – Built 6 Frigate ships
• Can’t have slaves on ship with white
• 1941- when war start- Marine Corps built again
• 1942 Mrs. Roosevelt told her husband got to do something about Marine Corps [???]
• Executive Order 8802 –Fair Employment Act which included military
• Gates open now- to have Negro Marines
• Would rather take 200 white rather than 500 Black to train
• 600 Black Marine volunteers
• Recruiters started enlisted18-28 age
• Navy people could only be a cook
• Change in uniform insignia for Blacks- wore loaves of bread on uniform not crow

Last Years in the Military

• Retired MCRD in San Diego
• Served four (4) years Hawaii
• Philadelphia four (4) years
• Naval Ammunition Depot in Hawaii
• Tech Sergeant went over as Guard Chief during Korean War
• Serve Police Chief in Wilmington, NC
• Military jobs included Infantry to Aviation
• Overseas 1953 Korean- went over investigator Air Wing
• Return to El Toro 1955
• Camp Pendleton 1960
• Their transferred 1960-62- as Drill Instructor
• 1962 – 29 Palms- Communication Rifle Range NCO- ran rifle for about 15 months
• Transferred back to Marine Recruit
• 1964 Retired

After Military

• After retirement- received High School diploma
• Served on several boards- including Francis Parker School- Pacific Coast Bank
• First Director of MLK Parade
• Sold Real Estate for 13 years
• 2 children both attended Francis Parker School
• Barber by Profession
• Sold Real Estate
• Mason (Masonic Lodge) for 56 years
• Member of Montford Point Marines Association start 1965
• Could not join the American Legion because Black –one of the reasons the Montford Point Marines Association formed
• Served as the second President Montford Point Association in San Diego-formed in 1978 building I owned on Imperial Avenue
• Served Advisory to County Supervisory