Radnor Parade's Grand Marshal Part of African-American Marine Corps

Cpl. Thomas Strickland Turner of Devon will be leading Radnor Township's Memorial Day Parade on Monday as its Grand Marshal.

It's the most recent of many honors bestowed upon Turner, who served in an all-black Marine Corps unit during World War II.

"It's been hard to absorb and realize that the good Lord has placed all of this honor on me," Turner told Radnor Patch.

The 88-year-old has received citations from the Philadelphia City Council and Pennsylvania Legislature. In 2004 he was given the Legionnaire of the Year award by American Legion Post 668 Bateman Gallagher in Wayne, of which he is a member.

Last year, he and other members of the Montford Point Marines, the first African-Americans to serves in the Marines, received the Congressional Gold Medal.

All these honors are a far cry from what Turner experienced growing up in the Western Suburbs of Philadelphia and even during his time in the military—blatant and threatening racism.

As a child, he and his family were forced to move from a Sugartown, Chester County, farm on which they were living after multiple attacks from the KKK, he said. Later, he was denied entrance into the then-new Easttown Elementary School, which was segregated.

What Turner could not understand is how badly he and other blacks were treated in the military, and yet, "they wanted us to re-enlist," he said.

Still, looking back on it, he said he does not regret his two years of service, which took him to the islands of the Pacific Ocean and almost to Japan. (The Atomic Bomb being dropped as he was en route put an end to that plan.)

These days, it's white former Marines who reach out to him and other Montford Point Marines to thank them. Turner said he may have been segregated during his service, but now he feels like a part of the whole Marine Corps.

Turner grew up to be a talented building contractor, following in the footsteps of his father, Edward. He and his wife of 51 years, Angeline, have nine children between them. Turner is an active member of the First Baptist Church on Upper Gulph Road in Wayne.

During many times of his life he was the "first"—he said he was the first black person to work at Lynam Electric Co.in Wayne, for example.

"Every place I go they always put me on the front lines," he said. On Memorial Day, Turner will be on the "front lines" of the parade, riding next to Angeline and waving to the crowds from a convertible car.