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369th Infantry Regiment (United States)
369th Infantry Regiment (United States)
369th Infantry Regiment (United States)
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This article is about the infantry regiment made famous by its nickname, the Harlem Hellfighters. For the novel by Max Brooks, see The Harlem Hellfighters.

15th New York National Guard Regiment
369th Infantry Regiment
Coat of arms
Active2 June 1913 – present (369th Sustainment Brigade)
15 May 1942 – 3 February 1946 (AUS)
Country United States
Branch United States Army
 French Army (attached during WWI)
TypeInfantry
SizeRegiment
NicknamesHell-fighters, Men of Bronze, Harlem Rattlers
Mottos"Don't Tread on Me", "God Damn", "Let's Go"
EngagementsWorld War I

World War II

Commanders
Notable
commanders		William Hayward (American attorney) Benjamin O. Davis Sr.
Insignia
DUI
U.S. Infantry Regiments
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368th Infantry Regiment 370th Infantry Regiment
The 369th in action. After being detached and seconded to the French, they wore the Adrian helmet, while retaining the rest of their U.S. uniform. Seen here at Séchault, France on 29 September 1918, during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, they wear the U.S. Army-issue Brodie helmet, correct for that time.[1]

The 369th Infantry Regiment, originally formed as the 15th New York National Guard Regiment before it was re-organized as the 369th upon its federalization, and commonly referred to as the Harlem Hellfighters, was an infantry regiment of the New York Army National Guard during World War I and World War II. The regiment mainly consisted of African Americans.[2] With the 370th Infantry Regiment,[3] it was known for being one of the first African-American regiments to serve with the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I.[4]

The regiment was named the Black Rattlers after arriving in France by its commander Colonel William Hayward.[5] The nickname Men of Bronze (French: Hommes de Bronze) was given to the regiment by the French after they had witnessed the gallantry of the Americans fighting in the trenches. Legend has it that they were called the Hellfighters (German: Höllenkämpfer) by the German enemy, although there is no documentation of this and the moniker may have been a creation of the American press.[6][7][8] During World War I, the 369th spent 191 days in front line trenches, more than any other American unit. They also suffered the most losses of any American regiment, with 1,500 casualties.[9][10] The regiment was also the first of the Allied forces to cross the Rhine into Germany. The lineage of the 369th Infantry is perpetuated today by the 42nd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade.

Background

[edit]
Emmett Jay Scott helped form the Hellfighters

On 5 October 1917, Emmett Jay Scott, long-time secretary to Booker T. Washington, was appointed Special Assistant to Newton D. Baker, the Secretary of War. Scott was to serve as a confidential advisor in situations that involved the well-being of ten million African Americans and their roles in the war. While many African Americans who served in the Great War believed racial discrimination would dissipate once they returned home, that did not happen.

Although many African Americans were eager to fight in the war, they were often turned away from military service. When the United States realized that it did not have close to enough soldiers, it decided to pass the Selective Service Act of 1917 which required all men from the ages of 21 to 30 to register for the draft; this included African Americans. Many African Americans enlisted believing that their military service would give them the opportunity to change the way they were perceived by white Americans.[11]

The 369th Regiment was reformed from the National Guard's 15th Regiment in New York. The 15th New York National Guard was a state militia regiment which served to help suppress the 1863 New York City draft riots and was mustered into federal service for 30 days in June 1864, providing manpower for Army posts in the New York Harbor.[12] The 15th Regiment was reconstituted after Charles S. Whitman was elected Governor of New York. He enforced the legislation that was passed due to the efforts of the 10th Cavalry in Mexico, which had passed as a law that had not manifested until June 2, 1913.[13][page needed]

When the U.S. entered World War I, many African Americans believed that entering the armed forces would help eliminate racial discrimination throughout the United States. Many felt it was "a God-sent blessing" so they could prove they deserved respect from white Americans through service in the armed forces. On the other hand, many were forced through false promises of freedom and equality. Through the efforts of the Central Committee of Negro College Men and President Wilson, a special training camp to train black officers for the proposed black regiments was established.[14]

World War I

[edit]

Formation

[edit]

The 369th Infantry Regiment was constituted on 2 June 1913 in the New York Army National Guard as the 15th New York Infantry Regiment. The 369th Infantry was organized on 29 June 1916 at New York City.[15]

The infantry was called into Federal service on 25 July 1917 at Camp Whitman, New York. While at Camp Whitman, the 369th Infantry learned basic military practices. After their training at Camp Whitman, the 369th was called into active duty in New York. While in New York, the 369th's three battalions were spread throughout New York where they guarded rail lines, construction sites, and other camps.

Then on 8 October 1917 the Regiment traveled to Camp Wadsworth in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where they received training in actual combat. Camp Wadsworth was set up similar to the French battlefields.[1] While at Camp Wadsworth they experienced significant racism from the local communities and from other units. There was one incident in which two soldiers from the 15th Regiment, Lieutenant James Reese Europe and Noble Sissle, were refused by the owner of a hotel shop when they attempted to buy a newspaper. Several soldiers from the white 27th Division, a New York National Guard organization, came to stand with and support their fellow New York soldiers. Lieutenant Europe, however, directed them to leave before violence erupted.[16] There were many other shops that refused to sell goods to the members of the 15th Regiment, so members of the 27th Division told the shop owners that if they did not serve black soldiers that they can close their stores and leave town. The white soldiers then stated "They're our buddies. And we won't buy from men who treat them unfairly."[17]

The 15th Infantry Regiment NYARNG was assigned on 1 December 1917 to the 185th Infantry Brigade. It was commanded by Col. William Hayward, a member of the Union League Club of New York, which sponsored the 369th in the tradition of the 20th U.S. Colored Infantry, which the club had sponsored in the U.S. Civil War. The 15th Infantry Regiment shipped out from the New York Port of Embarkation on 27 December 1917, and joined its brigade upon arrival in France. Despite its designation and training as an infantry regiment, the unit was relegated to labor service duties in France instead of being assigned a combat mission.

The 15th Infantry Regiment, NYARNG was reorganized and re-designated on 1 March 1918 as the 369th Infantry Regiment, but the unit continued labor service duties while it awaited a decision as to its future.

Assignment to the French Army

[edit]
15th Infantry in France, wearing Adrian helmets

Because of the U.S. Army's policy of continued segregation between African American and White units, it was decided on the 8th of April, 1918, to reassign the unit to the 16th Division of the 4th Army of the French Armed Forces for the duration of American participation in the war. Eventually the 369th Infantry were issued French weapons,[18] helmets, belts, and pouches, although they continued to wear their U.S. uniforms. While in the United States, the Regiment was subjected to intense racial discrimination, and its members looked down upon. French Colonel J.L.A. Linard [fr][19] of the American Expeditionary Forces headquarters was persuaded to write the notorious pamphlet Secret Information Concerning Black American Troops, which "warned" French civilian authorities of the alleged inferior nature and supposed racist tendencies of African Americans.[20]

The 369th was largely treated similarly to other French units at the time. The regiment was not segregated from other French units, and generally faced little racial discrimination. Prior to the 369th's integration, the French army had included many colonial units with non-white personnel, many from Morocco and Senegal. Having also faced severe manpower shortages, French soldiers shared less concern for race than Americans.[18]

The 369th Infantry Regiment was relieved 8 May 1918 from assignment to the 185th Infantry Brigade and went into the trenches as part of the French 16th Division. It served continuously until 3 July before returning to combat in the Second Battle of the Marne. Later, the 369th was reassigned to Gen. Lebouc's 161st Division to participate in the Allied counterattack. On one tour, they were out for over six months, which was the longest deployment of any unit in World War I.[21] On 19 August, the regiment went off the line for rest and training of replacements.

While overseas, the Hellfighters saw enemy propaganda intended for them. It claimed Germans had done nothing wrong to African Americans, and they should be fighting the US, which had oppressed them for years. It had the opposite of the intended effect.[22]

On 25 September 1918, the French 4th Army went on the offensive in conjunction with the American drive in the Meuse–Argonne. The 369th turned in a good account in heavy fighting, though they sustained severe losses. The unit captured the important village of Séchault. At one point the 369th advanced faster than French troops on their right and left flanks and risked being cut off. By the time the regiment pulled back for reorganization, it had advanced 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) through severe German resistance.

In mid-October the regiment was moved to a quiet sector in the Vosges, and was stationed there on 11 November, the day of the Armistice. Six days later, the 369th made its last advance and on 26 November, reaching the banks of the river Rhine and becoming the first Allied unit to do so. The regiment was relieved on 12 December 1918 from assignment to the French 161st Division. When the regiment attempted to travel home on board the USS Virginia, the ship's captain, Henry Joseph Ziegemeier, had them removed "on the grounds that no blacks had ever traveled on an American battleship."[23] It returned to the New York Port of Embarkation and was demobilized on 28 February 1919 at Camp Upton at Yaphank, New York, and returned to the New York Army National Guard.

Honors

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Wartime poster of the 369th fighting German soldiers, with the figure of Abraham Lincoln above
Flag of the old 15th New York Regiment (369th Colored Infantry) after being decorated by the French

One Medal of Honor and numerous Distinguished Service Crosses were awarded to members of the regiment.[24]

Pvt. Henry Johnson, a former rail station porter from Albany, New York, earned widespread acclaim in the 369th for his extraordinary feats in combat in France, leading to the moniker "Black Death". In May 1918, Johnson and Pvt. Needham Roberts valiantly repelled a 24-man German patrol, despite both sustaining severe injuries. Amidst the chaos, Johnson directed Roberts to alert the French units about the approaching enemy, but Roberts returned under gunfire. Together, they fought until a German grenade incapacitated Roberts. Undeterred, Johnson took it upon himself to maintain the defensive line and shield his comrade. With depleted ammunition, Johnson engaged the enemy using grenades, the rifle butt, and eventually a bolo knife. Reports suggest Johnson may have slain at least four German soldiers and wounded around 30 others, enduring at least 21 injuries himself. Recognizing their valor, over 100 men from the 369th received American and/or French decorations, with Johnson becoming the first American to be awarded the Croix de Guerre.[8][10]

On 13 December 1918, one month after Armistice Day, the French government awarded the Croix de Guerre to 170 individual members of the 369th, and a unit citation was awarded to the entire regiment. It was pinned to the unit's colors by General Lebouc.[25]

One of the first units in the United States armed forces to have black officers in addition to all-black enlisted men, the 369th could boast of a fine combat record, a regimental Croix de Guerre, and several unit citations, along with many individual decorations for valor from the French government. Nevertheless, the poor replacement system —coupled with no respite from the line — took its toll, leaving the unit utterly exhausted by the armistice in November.[6] The 369th Infantry Regiment was the first New York unit to return to the United States, and was the first unit to march up Fifth Avenue from the Washington Square Park Arch to their armory in Harlem. Their unit was placed on the permanent list with other veteran units.

Soldiers of the 369th (15th N.Y.), awarded the Croix de Guerre for gallantry in action, 1919. Left to right. Front row: Pvt. Ed Williams, Herbert Taylor, Pvt. Leon Fraitor, Pvt. Ralph Hawkins. Back Row: Sgt. H. D. Prinas, Sgt. Dan Storms, Pvt. Joe Williams, Pvt. Alfred Hanley, Cpl. T. W. Taylor

Arthur W. Little, who had been a battalion commander for the 369th, wrote in the regimental history From Harlem to the Rhine, it was official that the outfit was 191 days under fire, never lost a foot of ground or had a man taken prisoner; on two occasions men were captured, but were recovered. Only once did it fail to take its objective and that was due largely to bungling by French artillery support.[26]

By the end of the 369th Infantry's campaign in World War, I they were present in the Champagne – Marne, Meuse – Argonne, Champagne 1918, Alsace 1918 campaigns in which they suffered 1,500 casualties, the highest of any U.S. regiment.[27] In addition, the unit was plagued by acute discipline problems resulting from disproportionate casualties among the unit's longest-serving members and related failures to assimilate new soldiers.[6][28] The 369th also fought in distinguished battles such as Belleau Wood and Chateau-Thierry.[29]

369th Regiment Military Band

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The 369th band played jazz for American wounded in the courtyard of a Paris hospital

The 369th Regiment "Hellfighters Band" was relied upon not only in battle but also for morale. So, by the end of their tour, they became one of the most famous military bands throughout Europe.[30] They followed the 369th overseas and were highly regarded and known for being able to immediately boost morale. While overseas the 369th Regiment made up less than 1% of the soldiers deployed but was responsible for over 20% of the territory of all the land assigned to the United States.[13][page needed] During the war the 369th's regimental band (under the direction of James Reese Europe) became famous throughout Europe by introducing the until-then unknown music called jazz to the British, French and other European audiences.[31]

The 369th Infantry (old 15th National Guard) parade through New York City.

At the end of the war, the 369th returned to New York City, and on 17 February 1919, paraded through the city.[32] This day became an unofficial holiday of sorts for all of Harlem. Many black school children were dismissed from school so that they could attend the parade.[33] With the addition of many adults there were thousands of people that lined the streets to see the 369th Regiment: the parade began on Fifth Avenue at 61st Street, proceeded uptown past ranks of white bystanders, turned west on 110th Street, and then turned onto Lenox Avenue, and marched into Harlem, where black New Yorkers packed the sidewalks to see them. The parade became a marker of African American service to the nation, a frequent point of reference for those campaigning for civil rights. There were multiple parades that took place throughout the nation, many of these parades included all black regiments, including the 370th from Illinois. Then in the 1920s and 1930s, the 369th was a regular presence on Harlem's streets, each year marching through the neighborhood from their armory to catch a train to their annual summer camp, and then back through the neighborhood on their return two weeks later.[34]

Tap dancer and actor Bill Robinson is frequently claimed to have been the drum major for the regimental band during the homecoming parade on Fifth Avenue upon the 369th's return from overseas.[35][36][37] This has however been questioned as it is not mentioned in either his biography by Jim Haskins or the biography of James Europe.[38]

Interwar period

[edit]

The 369th Infantry was demobilized on 28 February 1919 at Camp Upton. Per the National Defense Act of 1920, it was reconstituted in the National Guard on 19 October 1920 and allotted to the state of New York as a separate regiment. It was partially organized on 11 October 1921 by redesignation of active elements of the 15th Infantry, New York National Guard as the 369th Infantry. The regimental headquarters was organized and federally recognized on 6 September 1924 at Harlem. The regiment was attached on 17 June 1922 to the 44th Division's 87th Infantry Brigade. It conducted annual summer training most years at Camp Smith, near Peekskill, New York, from 1924 to 1939. It was assigned to the First Army on 1 October 1933, but remained attached to the 87th Infantry Brigade for command, control, and administration. In 1938, Benjamin O. Davis Sr. became the regimental commander. He would eventually lead a reorganization that saw the regiment, less the Service Company and 3rd Battalion, converted into the 369th Coast Artillery Regiment (Antiaircraft) on 30 August 1940.[39] The 369th Coast Artillery was attached to the First Army on 30 December 1940. It was inducted into federal service on 13 January 1941 at Harlem, and transferred to Fort Ontario, New York, arriving there on 15 January 1941 where it was assigned to the Northeast Defense Command. It was transferred again on 5 September 1941 to Camp Edwards, Massachusetts.[40]

Commanders

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  • Colonel Arthur W. Little - 6 September 1924 – 8 April 1925
  • Colonel William A. Taylor - 8 April 1925 – 8 December 1933
  • Colonel John G. Grimley - 8 December 1933 – 23 February 1938
  • Colonel Joseph A.S. Mundy - 23 February 1938 – 27 August 1938
  • Colonel Benjamin O. Davis Sr. (Regular Army) - 27 August 1938 – 25 October 1940
  • Colonel Chauncey M. Hooper - 25 October 1940–December 1943

World War II

[edit]

After U.S. entry into World War II, the 369th Coast Artillery was transferred to Los Angeles, California, on 5 May 1942. It staged at Camp Stoneman, near Pittsburg, California from 1 June until 16 June, when it departed the San Francisco Port of Embarkation, arriving in Hawaii on 21 June. On 12 December 1943, the 369th Coast Artillery was broken up, with the headquarters and headquarters battery redesignated the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 369th Antiaircraft Artillery Group, the 1st Battalion as the 369th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, and the 2nd Battalion as the 870th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion.[41]

369th Infantry Regiment (Army of the United States)

[edit]

On 15 May 1942, the 369th Infantry Regiment was re-established as an element of the 93rd Infantry Division (Colored) in the Army of the United States; this iteration of the 369th Infantry does not have any lineal connection with the 15th New York established before World War I and that is still active in the present day.[42] It was deployed overseas and participated in labor and security operations in the Southwest Pacific Area. The 369th, along with the rest of the 93rd Infantry Division, occupied Morotai in Dutch New Guinea from April to June 1945, seeing limited combat. The division redeployed to Zamboanga in the Philippines on 1 July 1945, where it conducted "mop up" patrols until the Japanese surrendered on 15 August. The 369th left the Philippines with the division on 17 January 1946, returning to the United States on 1 February. The unit was deactivated two days later.

Armory

[edit]

In 1933, the 369th Regiment Armory was created to honor the 369th regiment for their service. This armory stands at 142nd and Fifth Avenue, in the heart of Harlem. This armory was constructed starting in the 1920s and was completed in the 1930s.[43] The 369th Regiment Armory was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994[44] and was designated as a city landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1985.[45]

Later years

[edit]

The infantry's polished post-World War I reputation was not completely safe from external criticism, which ultimately surfaced as a result of ongoing racial tension in the United States. In 1940, the Chicago Defender reported that the United States Department of War arranged for the 369th regiment to be renamed the "Colored Infantry". The department announced that there were too many infantry units in the national guard and the 369th regiment would be among those slated to go, the first alleged step toward abolishing the famed unit. Supporters of the regiment swiftly objected to the introduction of racial identity in the title of a unit in the United States army, effectively preserving the regiment's reputation.[46] However, eventually, all African American US Army units were renamed as "Colored", and the 369th served in World War II as the 369th Coast Artillery Regiment (Antiaircraft) (Colored), with its successor being the 369th Infantry Regiment (Colored).[47]

In 2003, the New York State Department of Transportation renamed the Harlem River Drive as the "Harlem Hellfighters Drive".[48] On 29 September 2006 a twelve-foot-high monument was unveiled to honor the 369th Regiment. This statue is a replica of a monument that stands in France. The monument is made of black granite and contains the 369th crest and rattlesnake insignia.[49]

The Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to the regiment in August 2021 in recognition of their bravery and outstanding service during World War I.[50]

On June 12, 2025, the infantry was represented in an honor guard ceremony for the late Harlem-based U.S. Congressman Charles Rangel, himself a African American U.S. Army veteran who received military honors during the Korean War.[51][52]

Notable soldiers

[edit]

Distinctive unit insignia

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Description
Harlem Hellfighter's crest

A silver color metal and enamel device 1+1⁄4 inches (3.2 cm) in height overall consisting of a blue shield charged with a silver rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike.

Symbolism

The rattlesnake is a symbol used on some colonial flags and is associated with the thirteen original colonies. The silver rattlesnake on the blue shield was the distinctive regimental insignia of the 369th Infantry Regiment, ancestor of the unit, and alludes to the service of the organization during World War I.

Background

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 369th Infantry Regiment on 17 April 1923. It was redesignated for the 369th Coast Artillery Regiment on 3 December 1940. It was redesignated for the 369th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion on 7 January 1944. It was redesignated for the 569th Field Artillery Battalion on 14 August 1956. The insignia was redesignated for the 369th Artillery Regiment on 4 April 1962. It was amended to correct the wording of the description on 2 September 1964. It was redesignated for the 569th Transportation Battalion and amended to add a motto on 13 March 1969. The insignia was redesignated for the 369th Transportation Battalion and amended to delete the motto on 14 January 1975. It was redesignated for the 369th Support Battalion and amended to revise the description and symbolism on 2 November 1994. The insignia was redesignated for the 369th Sustainment Brigade and amended to revise the description and symbolism on 20 July 2007.

369th Veterans' Association

[edit]

The 369th Veterans' Association is a group created to honor those who served in the 369th infantry.[70] This veterans group has three distinct goals. According to the Legal Information Institute of the Cornell Law Institute these include, "promoting the principles of friendship and goodwill among its members; engaging in social and civic activities that tend to enhance the welfare of its members and inculcate the true principles of good citizenship in its members; and memorializing, individually and collectively, the patriotic services of its members in the 369th antiaircraft artillery group and other units in the Armed Forces of the United States."[71]

Depiction in media

[edit]

The 1977 film Men of Bronze is about the Harlem Hellfighters.[72]

Fictionalized accounts which feature the Harlem Hellfighters include the 2014 graphic novel The Harlem Hellfighters written by Max Brooks and illustrated by Caanan White. It depicts a fictionalized account of the 369th's tour in Europe during World War I.[7][73][74] As of March 2014 a film adaptation of the aforementioned novel is in the works under Sony Pictures and Overbrook Entertainment.[75]

The Harlem Hellfighters appear in Battlefield 1 during the prologue mission. The unit features as a pre-order bonus as well, featuring a Hellfighter statue. The Hellfighter Pack also features as a pre-order bonus from GameStop, giving players access to unique emblems and weapon skins.[76]

In 2018, the 369th Infantry Regiment became a part of the documentary Noble Sissle's Syncopated Ragtime, directed and produced by Daniel L. Bernardi and David de Rozas with the collaboration of El Dorado Films and the Veteran Documentary Corps. The film subject is musician and Harlem Hellfighters' soldier Noble Sissle, the documentary won Best US Documentary Feature Film at the 2019 American Documentary Film Festival and Film Fund.[77]

The song "Hellfighters", recorded by Swedish power metal band Sabaton for their 2022 album The War to End All Wars, is about the 369th Infantry Regiment.[78]

In Valiant Hearts: Coming Home the 369th Infantry Regiment is depicted and is to honor those who served in the Harlem Hellfighters during World War I.

See also

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References

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Further reading

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

369th Infantry Regiment (United States)

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the , was an African American infantry regiment of the that served during . Originally organized in 1913 as the 15th New York Infantry Regiment of the New York National Guard, it was federalized in 1917, redesignated as the 369th Infantry, and assigned to the 93rd Infantry Division. Due to prevailing segregation policies in the , the regiment was loaned to the in April 1918 and attached to the 161st Infantry Division, where it conducted operations on the Western Front. The unit endured 191 days of continuous frontline combat, the longest of any American regiment in the war, without yielding any ground to the enemy or suffering a single soldier captured. German forces reportedly dubbed them "Hellfighters" in recognition of their unrelenting tenacity. The regiment's combat record included participation in major offensives such as the Meuse-Argonne, where it advanced against fortified positions, and it became the first Allied unit to reach the Rhine River after the Armistice. For its gallantry, France awarded the regiment the Croix de Guerre with palm, along with 171 individual citations to its soldiers; notable actions included the nighttime raid by privates Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts, who repelled a German assault despite being wounded. In 2021, the 369th received the Congressional Gold Medal in acknowledgment of its service. The regimental band, under Lieutenant James Reese Europe, also popularized ragtime and early jazz music among Allied troops and civilians in Europe.

Origins and Early History

Pre-World War I Formation

The 15th New York Infantry Regiment was authorized on June 2, 1913, as New York State's first African American unit, established under state militia provisions amid national policies enforcing military segregation. This authorization addressed exclusionary practices in the , where African American enlistment was largely limited to four segregated regular regiments—primarily and units with competitive entry—and non-combat roles, prompting state-level accommodations for Black volunteers. The move aligned with early 20th-century racial dynamics, including a 1913 state bill enabling such segregated formations in response to community advocacy. Central to the push was Charles W. Fillmore, a Spanish-American War veteran, attorney, and former Treasury official who first proposed a Black National Guard regiment and sponsored its inception to promote racial self-determination. Fillmore's campaign countered pervasive barriers, arguing that a dedicated unit would enable disciplined service and counter stereotypes of unfitness, drawing on precedents like post-Civil War Black militias that had faced dissolution. Demographic pressures from the nascent Great Migration amplified these efforts, as New York City's African American population grew from approximately 91,000 in 1910 to over 152,000 by 1920, concentrating in Harlem and heightening demands for autonomous institutions, including military ones, to foster community security and pride. Early expressions of interest reflected voluntary commitment despite scant opportunities elsewhere, with an initial cadre of about 200 African American New Yorkers signaling readiness for service in a state-sanctioned force. This grassroots momentum underscored the regiment's origins in proactive enlistment rather than mandate, as Black men navigated federal restrictions that prioritized white recruits and relegated others to support duties, thereby positioning the unit as a bulwark against national disenfranchisement in military affairs.

Initial Organization and Recruitment

The 15th New York Infantry Regiment, the predecessor to the federal 369th Infantry Regiment, was authorized by the New York National Guard in 1913 as the state's first African American unit but remained unorganized until June 1916, amid growing calls from black community leaders for military opportunities amid preparations for potential U.S. involvement in . Recruitment efforts, led by advocates including attorney Frederick M. Roberts and businessman Charles W. Fillmore, drew primarily from Harlem's African American population, supplemented by volunteers from , , , and ; initial enlistments totaled around 200 men, reflecting enthusiasm despite prevailing racial barriers to service. By late 1916, the regiment had expanded substantially through aggressive local drives, approaching but not yet reaching full regimental strength of approximately 1,500 to 2,000 enlisted personnel by early 1917, with all-black enlisted ranks under a mix of black and white officers. Command structure emphasized white leadership at senior levels, as state and federal policies restricted black officers to junior roles; Governor Charles S. Whitman appointed William Hayward, a attorney and former Nebraska officer with progressive views on meritocratic command, as the regiment's leader in June 1916, tasking him with building discipline and capability irrespective of race. Hayward, selected partly for his campaign ties to Whitman and his rejection of paternalistic oversight, implemented standards that prioritized soldier competence over stereotypes, fostering through personal engagement rather than segregationist norms prevalent in other commands. Early training occurred at makeshift facilities like Lafayette Hall in due to the absence of a dedicated armory, underscoring logistical shortcomings that delayed basic drills and exposed institutional reluctance to invest in a black-led force. Enlisted men often practiced maneuvers with broomsticks or wooden mockups while white regiments received modern , a disparity rooted in empirical doubts about the unit's potential and broader skepticism within hierarchies toward African American efficacy, as evidenced by delayed allocations and segregated support. This neglect, rather than mere oversight, causally hampered proficiency in marksmanship and maneuvers prior to federal mobilization in , compelling reliance on informal instruction and self-motivation to approximate standards.

World War I Service

Deployment and Attachment to French Forces

The 369th Infantry Regiment, formerly the 15th New York Infantry, departed , on December 12, 1917, aboard the USS Pocahontas and arrived at , on December 27, 1917, before proceeding to St. Nazaire for initial labor duties such as constructing dams, railroad tracks, and piers. Upon arrival, the regiment was redesignated as the 369th U.S. Infantry and assigned to Services of Supply tasks at Camp Coëtquidan, reflecting U.S. Army Expeditionary Forces (AEF) commander General John J. Pershing's broader policy of segregating African-American units and limiting their combat roles due to doubts about their reliability and logistical challenges in maintaining separate facilities alongside white divisions. In March 1918, under Pershing's directive, the regiment was transferred to the and attached to the French 16th Division for training at Givry-en-Argonne, a decision driven by French needs for troop replacements amid heavy losses and U.S. reluctance to integrate the segregated 93rd Division into American formations, as the War Department had organized it provisionally despite internal hesitations about deploying black combat units. This attachment, formalized by April 8, 1918, when the regiment entered the trenches in the Afrique Sector, allowed the 369th to bypass American-imposed restrictions, as French commanders pragmatically evaluated units based on performance rather than race. The French equipped the regiment with rifles, machine guns, and blue Adrian helmets—contrasting with the British-style helmets issued to most AEF troops—and provided training in French tactics over three weeks, enabling rapid adaptation without the segregation protocols that hampered U.S. . French forces treated the 369th soldiers cordially, integrating them into lines from Ville-sur-Tourbe to the River, where they conducted patrols and held sectors through merit-based assessments, fostering combat readiness during the without the discriminatory oversight that characterized U.S. command attitudes. By occupying continuously from April 8 to July 4, 1918, the regiment demonstrated reliability in static defense and reconnaissance, earning initial respect from French officers despite barriers.

Combat Operations and Military Performance

The 369th Infantry Regiment entered combat in April 1918 as part of the French Fourth Army, engaging in sustained frontline operations across multiple sectors including Champagne and the Argonne Forest. Attached to French divisions such as the 161st, the regiment utilized French equipment and tactics, compensating for limited American artillery support through aggressive infantry maneuvers. Over 191 days of continuous combat—the longest tenure of any U.S. unit—they maintained defensive positions and conducted offensives without retreating or yielding territory to German forces. In the Meuse-Argonne Offensive from September 26 to November 11, 1918, the 369th assaulted entrenched German positions in the Argonne Forest, employing small-arms fire and bayonet charges to dislodge defenders amid dense terrain and heavy enemy artillery. At Séchault on September 29, the regiment captured key objectives, inflicting significant losses on German troops through close-quarters combat despite facing superior firepower. Unit effectiveness is evidenced by zero ground lost and no prisoners captured across their service, contributing to Allied territorial gains including the first American advance to the River. Performance metrics highlight resilience: the regiment sustained approximately 1,500 casualties—killed, wounded, and missing—while disrupting German lines and enabling French-led advances under artillery deficits. High morale stemmed from equitable treatment by French allies, fostering unit cohesion absent in U.S. commands, alongside under Colonel William Hayward that prioritized rigorous and forward momentum over extraneous considerations. Hayward's directive encapsulated this ethos: "My men never retire, they go forward or they die."

Awards, Honors, and German Nickname

The 369th Infantry Regiment was awarded the as a unit by the French government on December 13, 1918, in recognition of its prolonged frontline service and defensive tenacity against German assaults. This citation highlighted the regiment's role in operations where it repelled attacks without yielding ground, maintaining positions for 191 consecutive days in combat sectors. Complementing the unit honor, 171 individual soldiers received the for specific acts of bravery, marking one of the highest concentrations of French decorations bestowed on any American regiment during the war. German opponents, encountering the regiment's relentless counteractions in battles such as those near Séchault and Minacourt, originated the nickname "Hellfighters" (Höllenkämpfer in German) to denote their formidable combat prowess and refusal to break under pressure. This term arose from observations of the unit's ferocity in sustaining fights without territorial concessions to the enemy, evidencing mutual respect amid adversarial engagements rather than mere intimidation. The regiment returned to New York on February 12, 1919, parading with its French unit citation prominently displayed, which empirically validated its operational reliability and informed subsequent debates on integrating African American units based on demonstrated battlefield efficacy.

Cultural and Non-Combat Contributions

Regimental Military Band

The Regimental Military Band of the 369th Infantry Regiment was established under the leadership of First Lieutenant , a prominent and conductor who negotiated to expand the ensemble beyond the U.S. Army's standard limit of 28 musicians to approximately 44 members, securing special funding for instruments and operations. This larger formation enabled the band to perform complex arrangements while serving the regiment's needs during deployment in beginning in December 1917. The band's primary wartime functions centered on enhancing troop morale and fostering Allied relations through live performances for , French civilians, and hospital patients, including over 2,000 miles of travel across to deliver concerts at forward positions and rear areas. These efforts provided psychological relief amid prolonged combat exposure, with the regiment enduring 191 days under enemy fire, the longest of any U.S. unit of comparable size. Instruments such as bugles also supported basic military signaling alongside entertainment duties, adapting to the demands of frontline proximity. Logistically, demonstrated adaptability by transporting heavy brass and percussion equipment during regiment movements, often under threat, while members carried personal arms and contributed to unit support tasks when musical performances were not required. This dual utility underscored the band's role in sustaining operational cohesion for the segregated unit attached to French forces from April 1918 onward. ![369th Infantry Regiment band performing in Paris hospital courtyard, led by Lt. James Reese Europe][float-right] The 369th Infantry Regiment's regimental band, directed by Lieutenant , played a pivotal role in exporting early and fusion styles to during and immediately after . Attached to French forces from December 1917, the band performed for Allied troops and civilians, incorporating rhythms into military marches that enthralled audiences unfamiliar with African American musical idioms; French soldiers and officers, initially skeptical, became avid enthusiasts, with eyewitness accounts describing crowds dancing in the streets to the band's novel sound. This exposure marked an early dissemination of elements abroad, influencing subsequent European bands to adopt similar and . Returning to the on February 12, 1919, the band led victory parades down in on February 17, 1919, where their performances of ragtime-infused marches drew over 100,000 spectators, amplifying domestic awareness of these styles. In the ensuing months, Europe and the band recorded tracks such as "" and "Jazz Marines" for and Victor labels between April and May 1919, capturing the fusion of melodies with brass-heavy orchestration that popularized these hybrids in American parlors and dance halls. The band's innovations reverberated through members' civilian pursuits, fostering connections to the ; drummer , leveraging wartime experience, co-composed the 1921 Broadway revue with , which integrated rhythms into theatrical music and showcased black performers, thereby extending the regiment's musical legacy into broader cultural movements.

Interwar Period

Reorganization and Domestic Activities

Following demobilization on February 28, 1919, at , New York, the 369th Infantry Regiment underwent reorganization within the New York National Guard, consolidating with the 15th Infantry Regiment in 1924 to maintain its designation as the 369th Infantry while resuming state service. This restructuring emphasized its role as New York's segregated African American unit, headquartered at the newly established 369th Regiment Armory on in , where weekly drills and training were conducted to preserve combat readiness and regimental cohesion. Domestic activities centered on state-level obligations, including annual marches through streets from the armory to the New York Armory on for inspections and parades, a upheld throughout the 1920s and 1930s that reinforced unit identity amid peacetime constraints. The regiment also performed guard duties, such as securing armories and state military property, alongside participation in ceremonial events that highlighted its wartime legacy without federal mobilization. Enrollment varied with economic conditions, as the reduced volunteerism across units, yet the 369th sustained core operations through local recruitment tied to Harlem's community ties, ensuring continuity despite broader downturns in enlistments. These activities empirically maintained the regiment's structure and esprit de corps until World War II reactivation.

Leadership and Command Structure

Following World War I demobilization in February 1919, the 369th Infantry Regiment was reconstituted on June 4, 1921, in the as the 15th Infantry Regiment, maintaining its all-black enlisted composition under white officer leadership as per U.S. military segregation policies for African American units during the interwar era. This structure persisted to ensure and operational cohesion, with white officers appointed to key positions to oversee , administration, and readiness within the state guard framework. Black non-commissioned officers, many veterans of the regiment's World War I service, received promotions based on demonstrated merit and combat experience, enabling them to fill sergeant and higher NCO roles and mentor new recruits in drill, marksmanship, and unit cohesion. Successors to wartime commander Colonel William Hayward prioritized rigorous discipline and professional conduct to rebut persistent of indiscipline among black troops, emphasizing parade-ground precision, marksmanship competitions, and to sustain the unit's reputation for reliability. Internal governance featured elected company leaders selected by enlisted vote, promoting accountability and esprit de corps, while courts-martial records reflected low infraction rates comparable to white units, underscoring effective leadership in maintaining order during annual training and domestic response duties. This evolved modestly through the and 1930s, adapting to expansions under the National Defense Act while adhering to federal guidelines limiting black commissions.

World War II Reactivation

Reformation as Army of the United States Unit

On January 1, 1942, a new 369th Infantry Regiment was constituted in the , distinct from the pre-war New York unit that had been redesignated the 369th Coast Artillery Regiment in 1940. This reformation established the regiment as a formation under federal control, assigned to the 93rd Division, which was activated concurrently to incorporate African American personnel into combat roles amid wartime expansion. The unit rapidly expanded from cadre strength to a full of approximately 3,000 men through the integration of Selective Service draftees, supplemented by voluntary enlistees primarily recruited from and greater New York to maintain the regiment's community roots and historical identity. Training occurred at segregated facilities, including in and later sites in , where black troops were isolated from white units in barracks, mess halls, and recreational areas, enforcing policy on racial separation. emphasized African American officers in key roles to build and prepare for overseas assignment, transitioning from provisional organization to operational readiness by mid-1942.

Training, Deployment, and Combat Roles

The 369th Coast Artillery (Antiaircraft) Regiment, reorganized from the infantry unit on August 30, 1940, and inducted into federal service on January 13, 1941, conducted initial stateside training focused on antiaircraft defense operations, including gun handling, searchlight coordination, and plotter operations essential for aerial threat detection. Following basic mobilization, the regiment relocated to , , in early 1941 for advanced training lasting approximately nine months through spring 1942, emphasizing integrated antiaircraft tactics within coastal defense frameworks to prepare for Pacific vulnerabilities exposed by the attack. Deployed to Hawaii in June 1942, the 369th assumed antiaircraft defense responsibilities for key Oahu airfields and the United States Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, manning gun batteries and automatic weapons to counter potential Japanese air incursions amid ongoing Pacific campaigns. These roles extended to port and installation security, safeguarding logistical hubs that facilitated Allied supply lines and staging for offensives such as the Gilbert Islands and Central Pacific drives, with the regiment's positions contributing to the protection of over 20 major air and naval facilities by mid-1943. In February 1943, the regiment was reorganized into the 369th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion and the 870th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, continuing defensive operations in the Pacific theater through the war's end without frontline infantry engagements. This shift reflected broader Army adaptations to air threats, resulting in casualty rates substantially lower than the regiment's infantry service—where over 1,400 losses occurred—due to static, rear-area emphases on deterrence rather than offensive maneuvers.

Postwar Developments

Armory and Infrastructure

The 369th Regiment Armory at 2366 in , New York, functioned as the regiment's central training and sustainment facility from its completion through the postwar era, enabling organized drills, equipment storage, and community-based recruitment essential to unit readiness. The structure comprises a medieval-inspired drill hall, finished in 1924 with red brick construction and robust parapets evoking fortress-like defenses, paired with an adjoining administration building completed in featuring terra cotta embellishments and irregular fenestration for functional efficiency. The drill shed's interior includes three tiers of balconies on all sides, providing seating for 6,000 to 7,000 personnel or observers during training exercises and assemblies. In the immediate postwar years following inactivation, the armory sustained the regiment's lineage by housing successor elements, such as anti-aircraft units, and facilitating periodic musters and maintenance activities amid federal demobilization constraints. Its dedicated infrastructure supported logistical continuity, including arms storage and vehicle upkeep, which helped preserve operational capabilities despite reduced active strength. However, deferred maintenance on the century-old buildings led to structural deterioration, prompting ongoing restoration efforts to balance historical integrity with usability; a major $46 million overhaul from 2014 onward incorporated modern HVAC, electrical systems, and seismic reinforcements while safeguarding period features like the drill hall's balconies. These facilities underscored the regiment's embedded in Harlem's civic fabric, with the armory's permanence aiding through routine, location-specific protocols that reinforced esprit de corps independent of transient deployments. Post-inactivation, groups occasionally repurposed spaces for events, though oversight prioritized preservation over full conversion to maintain lineage ties.

Inactivation and Unit Lineage

The 369th Infantry Regiment, following its reorganization and federal service as the 369th Coast Artillery Regiment (Antiaircraft) on August 30, 1940, served in defensive roles during , primarily providing antiaircraft protection in and along the U.S. West Coast. After the war's end, the regiment's elements were inactivated between 1945 and 1946 as part of broader efforts, with battalions split and reassigned amid the transition to peacetime forces. This inactivation coincided with the U.S. military's desegregation under , issued by President on July 26, 1948, which ended segregated units and integrated African American personnel into previously all-white formations, rendering the 369th's traditional structure obsolete. Despite the formal dissolution of its infantry and antiaircraft configurations, the regiment's lineage was preserved within the through successive redesignations, reflecting empirical continuity of traditions such as unit heritage and operational ethos in non-combat roles. Subsequent reorganizations transferred the lineage to sustainment functions, including as the 369th Transportation Battalion during the 1990-1991 mobilization, before its current designation as the 369th , which maintains historical campaign credits and supports logistics for the 42nd Infantry Division. This perpetuation ensures verifiable historical continuity, with unit records archived at the for empirical verification of service data and personnel histories.

Distinctive Unit Insignia and Heraldry

The Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI) for the 369th Infantry Regiment features a coiled silver rattlesnake poised to strike on a blue shield, a design approved by the U.S. Army on April 17, 1923. This emblem draws from the "Gadsden flag" rattlesnake of the American Revolution, symbolizing vigilance, readiness, and defiance against aggression. The rattlesnake specifically alludes to the regiment's intense combat service in World War I, where soldiers adopted the "Black Rattlers" moniker for their tenacious frontline endurance under French command. Subsequent redesignations preserved the core rattlesnake motif, with the insignia redesignated for successor units like the 369th Coast Artillery and later the 369th Sustainment Brigade, maintaining lineage continuity. The regiment's coat of arms incorporates the blue and silver colors of the original New York lineage, alongside symbolic elements denoting campaigns, though the primary identifying feature remains the . French honors, awarded to the unit on February 13, 1919, for exceptional valor, are reflected in official heraldry records as campaign streamers and citations rather than direct modifications to the DUI design. In practice, the insignia appeared on uniforms during post-war victory parades in on February 17, 1919, reinforcing unit identity amid public acclaim. Modern descendant units, such as the 369th Sustainment Brigade, continue to wear the DUI in ceremonial formations and parades, preserving the symbol's role in denoting heritage and combat prowess.

Notable Personnel

Enlisted Heroes and Medal Recipients

Private Henry Johnson, serving as a sentry with the 369th Infantry Regiment on the night of May 14–15, 1918, near the village of Séchault, , engaged a German raiding party estimated at 24 soldiers intent on capturing prisoners. After his comrade, Private Needham Roberts, was severely wounded early in the assault, Johnson single-handedly repelled the attackers using grenades, rifle fire, and his , killing at least four Germans and wounding up to 20 more while preventing the capture of Roberts and securing classified documents. French military reports documented Johnson's actions as extraordinary valor under overwhelming odds, leading to his immediate promotion to sergeant and award of the with Gold Palm, one of 's highest honors for enlisted bravery. U.S. recognition lagged, with Johnson receiving the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously in 2002 and the in 2015, reflecting historical delays in acknowledging Black soldiers' combat feats. Private , also on duty during the same German raid, fired initial shots and threw grenades to alert his unit before sustaining multiple wounds that rendered him combat-ineffective, yet his resistance alongside Johnson disrupted the enemy patrol's objective. For this defense, Roberts earned the with Silver Palm from the French government, highlighting the pair's coordinated small-unit action against superior numbers. Beyond these standout cases, 171 enlisted members of the 369th received individual citations for feats including small-unit engagements that halted German advances, such as repelling raids during the Champagne-Marne salient and Meuse-Argonne Offensive, where soldiers like corporals and privates manned outposts and conducted counterattacks amid prolonged frontline service exceeding 191 days. These awards, verified through French military dispatches, underscored the regiment's rank-and-file resilience in disrupting enemy maneuvers, though U.S. equivalents like the Distinguished Service Cross were issued sparingly and often posthumously decades later to a subset of these heroes.

Officers and Leaders

Colonel William Hayward served as the of the 369th Infantry Regiment during , leveraging his organizational skills to recruit and train the unit while emphasizing merit in promotions to build cohesion among its predominantly African American enlisted men. His decisions to integrate capable black soldiers into junior leadership positions, where feasible under restrictive policies, helped maintain morale and operational effectiveness despite external prejudices. U.S. Army segregation policies confined officers to non-combat training roles, barring them from commanding frontline units like the 369th and necessitating reliance on commissioned officers for formal command. This structural limitation amplified the influence of non-commissioned officers (NCOs), who assumed de facto leadership in tactical execution, discipline, and soldier welfare, compensating for the scarcity of commissioned ranks. Hayward's merit-focused command structure yielded tangible results in unit discipline, including zero recorded desertions over 191 days of continuous frontline service—longer than any other American regiment—amid high casualties and intense combat. This record underscored the causal impact of respectful, performance-driven leadership in sustaining loyalty and combat resilience.

Challenges Faced

Racial Discrimination by U.S. Command

The enforced in its units during , confining Black soldiers, including those of the 369th Infantry Regiment, to all-Black formations separate from white troops. This policy stemmed from broader institutional practices reflecting societal discrimination, with commander General directing that Black combat units be kept apart from white units to avert potential interpersonal conflicts. Critics, including contemporary historians analyzing military records, attribute these measures to systemic embedded in Army leadership and federal policy under President , who had segregated federal workplaces. Upon arrival in on December 27, 1917, the 369th was initially assigned to non- labor duties under U.S. command, such as port improvement at St. Nazaire to facilitate the influx of American personnel and materiel, consistent with the reallocation of many Black units to Services of Supply roles involving manual labor like road-building and logistics support. This assignment aligned with AEF directives prioritizing Black troops for support functions over frontline roles, resulting in unequal exposure to training and equipment relative to white divisions. Official logs and after-action reports indicate that such barriers delayed the regiment's operational readiness, though empirical outcomes demonstrated that merit-based performance could circumvent policy constraints, as evidenced by the unit's eventual 191 consecutive days in after reassignment. These command-imposed discriminations, including segregated facilities and limited advancement opportunities for Black officers, fueled postwar advocacy for reform, with the 369th's record of endurance cited in arguments against segregation's inefficacy. This contributed causally to the 1948 issuance of by President , mandating equality of treatment in the armed forces and effectively dismantling segregated units. While some analyses emphasize persistent biases in military historiography—often from institutionally left-leaning academic sources—the regiment's verifiable achievements under adversity underscored that individual and unit competence could challenge and ultimately erode discriminatory structures.

Performance Realities and Internal Discipline

The 369th Infantry Regiment endured 191 consecutive days on the front lines, the longest continuous combat service of any U.S. regiment in , resulting in approximately 1,500 , including killed, wounded, and missing, exceeding losses in any other American unit. These figures stemmed primarily from sustained exposure to barrages, raids, gas attacks, and environmental hazards such as and disease during static defensive roles alongside French divisions, rather than solely from offensive assaults. Despite this attrition, the regiment recorded no retreats, no instances of ground lost to the enemy, and no personnel captured, maintaining operational effectiveness where comparable units occasionally faltered under similar pressures. Narratives emphasizing unalloyed heroism overlook the probabilistic realities of attrition in prolonged , where a significant portion of casualties arose from and routine sector holding rather than individual acts of valor, aligning with broader patterns across fronts. The regiment's performance, while commendable, reflected standard risks amplified by extended tenure, with no documented mutinies or combat refusals, unlike isolated breakdowns in other U.S. formations during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. French commanders, to whom the unit was attached, attested to its reliability in defensive and limited offensive roles, crediting tactical discipline for preventing cohesion failures amid heavy losses. Internal discipline remained robust, with regimental leadership—under Colonel William Hayward and subordinates like Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Little—enforcing accountability through rigorous training, rapid integration of replacements, and morale-sustaining measures such as regimental bands led by Lieutenant , which correlated with sustained unit solidarity. Absent specific isolating AWOL or rates for the 369th, contemporary accounts highlight its low incidence of such issues relative to the U.S. Army's overall rate of about 10 per 1,000 soldiers, attributing this to paternalistic yet firm command structures that prioritized causal factors like peer enforcement and pride in French-allied service over permissive policies. This discipline directly supported combat persistence, as disproportionate casualties among veterans were offset by disciplined assimilation of green troops, avoiding the breakdowns seen in under-led units elsewhere.

Legacy and Modern Recognition

Veterans' Association Activities

The 369th Veterans Association maintains active chapters across New York—including Manhattan, Bronx, Westchester County, Richmond County, Queens, and Albany—and in North Carolina. Membership is open to men and women who have served honorably in any branch of the U.S. military, emphasizing unity among veterans regardless of race or service era. The association organizes commemorative events to honor the regiment's legacy and all veterans, including annual wreath-laying ceremonies at the monument in front of the Harlem Regiment Armory. The November 12, 2024, ceremony featured an opening prayer, , national anthem, and remarks from leadership, such as Lt. Col. David Myones, commander of the 369th , with the explicit purpose of recognizing past and present 369th members alongside broader veteran sacrifices. In addition to public ceremonies, promotes archival preservation and educational outreach by stimulating interest in the unit's history within communities, often collaborating with scholars and musicians to highlight the regiment's contributions. These efforts include verifying and disseminating records of service to ensure accurate commemoration of the 369th's exploits and subsequent lineage. The group received a federal charter from on , 1984, formalizing its role in perpetuating the regiment's traditions.

Recent Honors and Congressional Gold Medal

In August 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the Harlem Hellfighters Congressional Gold Medal Act (H.R. 3642), authorizing Congress to award a gold medal collectively to the 369th Infantry Regiment for its "bravery and outstanding service" in World War I combat operations. The medal was unveiled during a September 3, 2025, ceremony in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol, presided over by Representative Tom Suozzi and House Speaker Mike Johnson, with presentations made to descendants of regiment members, such as Debra Willett, granddaughter of Sergeant Leander Willett. This event marked formal congressional validation of the unit's sustained frontline performance under French command, where it accrued 171 individual Croix de Guerre citations for gallantry, alongside a regimental Croix de Guerre with palm—empirical markers of combat efficacy independent of contemporaneous U.S. military evaluations influenced by segregationist policies. The award's basis in these French-documented feats reinforces the regiment's historical contribution to evidencing Black soldiers' operational parity with white units, bolstering post-war evidentiary challenges to segregated forces that culminated in desegregating the armed services in 1948.

Lineage in Contemporary Units

The lineage of the 369th Infantry Regiment is perpetuated today by the 369th Sustainment Brigade, a unit of the that traces its organizational history directly to the World War I-era . This continuation reflects the U.S. Army's practice of preserving historical unit identities through redesignations, adapting the original role to modern sustainment functions while maintaining core traditions. In 2021, the U.S. Army officially authorized the 369th Sustainment Brigade to adopt the "Harlem Hellfighters" nickname, a designation originating from the regiment's service and previously used informally by its members. The brigade retains heraldic elements from the original unit, including the coiled in its , symbolizing vigilance and striking power as carried forward from the crest. Contemporary activations of the 369th Sustainment Brigade have included deployments supporting operations in and , where its soldiers conducted and sustainment missions amid active theaters. These efforts underscore the Army's institutional valuation of the regiment's proven merit in prolonged, high-intensity engagements, now channeled into enabling force projection and operational endurance in rather than direct .

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  77. https://www.ausa.org/news/harlem-hellfighters-receive-congressional-gold-medal-0
  78. https://www.nationalguard.mil/News/Article-View/Article/3699251/the-harlem-hellfighters-a-legacy-of-lasting-impact/
  79. https://www.nationalguard.mil/News/Article-View/Article/2488415/after-100-years-harlem-hellfighters-nickname-is-official/
  80. https://www.dvidshub.net/news/printable/138051
  81. https://dmna.ny.gov/pressroom/?id=1407433022
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