Frederick C. Branch

Frederick Clinton Branch

(May 31, 1922 – April 10, 2005)

First black officer commissioned in the United States Marine Corps.

Member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity

Frederick C. Branch was a trailblazer in American military history, breaking down racial barriers. During his service in WWII with a supply unit in the Pacific, Branch was recommended by his commanding officer to attend the Navy V-12 program at Purdue University. From there, he went on to graduate on the dean’s list and became the first African-American Marine officer on November 1945. His life and legacy exemplify the power of perseverance, dedication, and the fight for equality in the armed forces. Branch’s pioneering spirit paved the way for greater diversity in the military and serves as an enduring inspiration for future generations.

On 10 November 1945, Frederick C. Branch, the first African-American ever commissioned in the Marine Corps, and a veteran of the 51st Defense Battalion, smiles proudly as his wife pins the gold bars of a second lieutenant on his uniform.
Date 10 November 1945

Later in life

He received a bachelor’s degree in physics from Temple in 1947, he taught at Dobbins High School in Philadelphia until he retired in 1988.

Captain Branch died on 10 April 2005 and was buried at Quantico National Cemetery in Quantico, Virginia.

Frederick C. Branch Honors and Legacy

In 1995, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his commissioning, a United States Senate resolution was passed honoring Branch.

In 1997, Branch was honored for his pioneering role in the integration of the Corps — a training building in the Marine Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia is named in his honor.

On April 25, 2005, after his death, U.S. Senate resolution 116 was sponsored by North Carolina Senators Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr “to commemorate the life, achievements, and contributions of Frederick C. Branch”.

In 2006, the Marine Corps Recruiting Command created the Frederick C. Branch Leadership Scholarship. It is a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) scholarship for students who are currently attending or have received letters of acceptance to one of 17 historically black colleges and universities that have NROTC programs on campus. A total of 68 scholarships are available per year. Each participating school may give two four-year scholarships, one three-year scholarship and one two-year scholarship. Graduates are commissioned as second lieutenants in the Marine Corps.