Donation helps bring flag poles for Montford Point Marines location

JACKSONVILLE, Onslow County — A memorial honoring the first African-American Marines is one step closer to completion.


Thanks to a generous donation Thursday of $5,000 from Wade Dixon, who owns the McDonald's on Marine Boulevard in Jacksonville, two additional flag poles can be added to the Montford Point Marines site. The facility opened in July of 2016 but was missing a key part in those flag poles. After speaking with Jacksonville Mayor Sammy Phillips, Dixon said he learned of the need and decided to help.

"Dixon Foods has been in business almost 50 years," Dixon said. "We started in Greensboro, and so we've had a long relationship with the Air Force. And when we came to Jacksonville two years ago and we purchased these restaurants, we wanted to make sure that we continued to support the men and women that serve our country."

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The Montford Point Marines Memorial honors the legacy of the first African Americans to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps, starting in 1942.