It was over 57 years ago when Hunter arrived for boot camp at Parris Island in South Carolina. And although it wasn’t far from his birthplace of Savannah, Ga. it was miles away from the life he knew growing up under the tutelage of his grandmother.

"My grandmother was my first bootcamp. She taught me strength and told me to be the best I could be. She would always tell me that God has given me the ability to do anything."

Hunter said her words helped him persevere through the obstacles and challenges that he faced being black in the Marines during a time when segregation was still prevalent in the United States.

"I remember the ride on the bus to boot camp, and one of the white men told me that we’dbe hung before we even got to the camp. It was degrading. When we got our hair cut, we used the colored barber," Hunter said. "And although we didn’t have separate barracks, when we traveled off of the base, and had to get a sandwich, the principal of the south dictated. I had to use the colored side door to get mine."

There were three other black men who enlisted along with Hunter, in 1949, but he is the sole survivor out of the four. For Hunter, the biggest challenges they faced had less to do with the work they were required to do and more to do with the color of their skin.

"I felt bad, but angry about this more than anything else," Hunter said. "One of my brothers even spent 11 days in jail because the police thought he was impersonating a Marine. It was even more difficult for the four of us, because we couldn’t be together in the barracks to help support each other. We were separated out by last name."

Prior to Hunter’s arrival in South Carolina, 23,000 blacks were trained at a separate facility in Montford Point, N.C. And although the three black men that Hunter enlisted with have passed away, Hunter said that he doesn’t feel alone as the men of Montford Point have formed a group called the Montford Point Marine Association with 26 chapters nationally.

Hunter knows that he is living history, and takes every opportunity to share his philosophy with the youth at New Britain High School and beyond. In 2005, he was awarded the Super Substitute Award by Kelly Educational Services, and is committed to helping young people learn.

"I feel I lead by example. It wasn’t easy back then to do what I did, but the four of us, we took it upon ourselves to do what we had to do, and do it even better,"Howard said. "I wanted to be an officer, but they told me I couldn’t, so I left after three years of service. When I left, I came up to my aunt’s house in Connecticut I looked for jobs, and applied for over 25 jobs. No one would hire me.

"It was depressing being a minority and not getting the same opportunities afforded to whites, but I went to a technical school and picked up a trade, to became an electrician. So that’s my message to the youth -- have a plan in life on what you want to achieve, respect your elders and excel by doing well in school."

Hunter was a member of Platoon 81. He said it’s historically known as an Honor platoon, the first integrated platoon on Parris Island. He was recently elected as President of the New Britain Veteran Council, which includes 12 veteran military organizations.

Franchone Fraser-Ben Reuben Bey can be reached at ffraser@newbritainherald.com or by calling (860) 225-4601.