HR 48 Summary

• Commends John Leo Smith, a Grove Hill, Alabama resident, on being awarded the Presidential Congressional Gold Medal on January 19, 2014.

• Smith was a Montford Point Marine who entered the United States Marine Corps on May 20, 1943, and received an Honorable Discharge from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina in June 1946.

• Acknowledges the Montford Point Marines (1942-1949) as African-American men who broke racial barriers in the Marine Corps and faced intense training while fighting for freedom overseas and against segregation at home.

• References Executive Order 8802 issued by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on June 25, 1941, establishing fair employment practices by the Armed Forces.

• The House of Representatives offers this certificate in admiration and appreciation to Smith for his exemplary military service and unwavering commitment to the nation.