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Woodrow Duhon was 17 years old when he left Fenton to serve his country overseas, first in World War II, then the Korean War. Now, nearly 70 years later, the retired Marine corporal will be recognized for his bravery as an infantryman with the Congressional Gold Medal. (Doris Maricle / American Press)

Fenton man to receive Congressional Gold Medal

Last Modified: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 10:34 AM

By Doris Maricle / American Press

FENTON — Woodrow Duhon was 17 years old when he left Fenton to serve his country overseas, first in World War II, then the Korean War.

Now, nearly 70 years later, the retired Marine corporal will be recognized for his bravery as an infantryman with the Congressional Gold Medal, which is the nation’s highest civilian award.

At 84, Duhon is among 500 surviving members of the almost 20,000 African-Americans who served their country as Montford Point Marines who will receive the honor during ceremonies June 27 and 28 in Washington, D.C. Part of the ceremonies will be broadcast on C-SPAN.

“This means a whole lot to me,” the Fenton native said of the award. “It’s something to get after all this time. I thought I wasn’t going to get the recognition or nothing. Finally things begin to happen.”

Duhon is the only Montford Point Marine in Southwest Louisiana and one of five in the state who will receive the award, he said.

“It means a lot having a hero in the family,” his youngest son, Walter Duhon, said. “Growing up we heard a lot of his war stories.”

Many of Duhon’s war stories are included in the recently released book, “Bitter Sweet: A Veteran of Foreign Wars Story.”

The book recounts the war experiences and military careers of Duhon and other African-American soldiers who served during World War II and Korea.

Duhon served four tours in the Marines during both conflicts.

He was drafted on July 3, 1945, just three weeks shy of turning 18 and two months short of the Japanese surrender. He spent his 18th birthday undergoing basic training in North Carolina.

“I lied about my age because I wanted to go in the service and fight for my country,” Duhon said. “I tried to get (my father’s) permission, but he said he wouldn’t sign it, so I drove to Lake Charles with my buddy, Tee Joe, to enlist.”

He spent most of his time overseas guarding nearly 10,000 Japanese prisoners and practicing anti-aircraft shooting.

He returned home from his first tour in November 1946, only to be called back into service in September 1950 with the start of the Korean Conflict.

“They wanted me to re-up after (Korea), but I told them no,” he said. “I was afraid they might send me back to Korea, so I decided I better get out while I had a chance.”

Duhon received serious head injuries and shrapnel wounds while serving on the front lines.

He was first wounded in Korea in April 1951 after his division found itself surrounded by the enemy near the Yalu River in North Korea.

“I was shot in the back of the head while in a foxhole,” he said.

Medics took him behind the line, but in the chaos, some of his own men mistook him for the enemy and started shooting at him.

“They shot at me three or four times,” he said. “I had to leave all my gear behind when I got wounded, so all I could do is hit the ground and start hollering.”

“I dodged a lot of bullets, but that was close,” he continued. “I don’t see how they missed me. They liked to have finished me off right there.”

Duhon had to wait until daylight before being moved to the hospital, where he spent the next six weeks recovering from his head wound.

Duhon was sent back to the front lines, where he was wounded again in June 1951. He and nine other soldiers “took shrapnel“ from an artillery shell. He still has remnants of the shrapnel in his hip and head.

He also suffered frostbite of his toes while serving in Korea.

“It was cold and there was a lot of snow and ice,” he said. “It was cold from late September to the last part of April. Then it’d get hot.”

Despite the injuries, Duhon said he “hung in there and stayed with it.”

“I credit God for making it,” he said. “A lot of my buddies didn’t make it. I guess I was lucky. I kept my prayer beads on me all the time.”

He was awarded two Purple Hearts for those injuries.

Among other medals, Duhon received the Victory Medal for World War II, the Korean Service Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal and National Defense Service Medal. Several of the medals were destroyed in a house fire in 1977.