Did you know the first black Marine to serve after the American Revolutionary War was born in Palestine, TX. On February 5, 1916, Alfred Masters was born to Joel and Lettia Masters in Palestine, TX. His father died five months later and his mother moved the family to Oklahoma. He attended Langston University. After graduating became a civilian employee at the Army Supply Depot. On June 1,1942, at 12:01 a.m., Masters became the first African American to be sworn in the U.S Marine Corps since the American Revolution. He was sworn in at a post office in Oklahoma City. His recruitment training took place at Montford Point in North Carolina. Montford Point was a segregated training facility for African American Marines from 1942-1949. He was assigned to Battery A of the Fifty-first Composite Defense Battalion. He served in the Fifty-second Defense Battalion and during WWII deployed to Majuro, Marshall Islands, and Guam, Marianas Islands. He rose to the rank of Technical Sergeant at the ti...