The Harlem Hellfighters: The 369th Infantry Regiment

Introduction 

The Harlem Hellfighters-369th Infantry was a military unit that existed during World War I and World War II. The Regiment considered mainly African Americans, considering that they were often turned away from engaging in various military services within America. In that case, the eagerness to take part in the war resulted in the establishment of the infantry regiment to create an opportunity to participate in the war. Considering the nature of discrimination experienced by African Americans in the United States, the chance to take part in the world war would help in changing the perspective of the native Americans towards them. The Infantry regiment received various nicknames such as Black Rattlers, Men of Bronze, and Hell-fighters, which portrayed their image in multiple nations.

Formation 

The formation of the infantry regime involved a series of consultations and meetings in discussing the key elements that would be addressed by the unit. During the sessions, the key stakeholders engaged in identifying the objectives and the specializations that would be appropriate in enhancing the unity of the group. On June 2, 1913, the Regiment was constituted and organized in June 1915. In July 1917, the military unit was called to join the federal service at Camp Whitman, which is located in New York. During their stay in Camp Whitman, the infantry regiment engaged in learning basic practices that are crucial in the military, which included basic courtesy, ways of addressing officers in different ranks, and ways of saluting (Bruce, 2004). As part of the training, the Regiment traveled to various camps across the state in a bid to earn more knowledge regarding the military practices.

Assignment to French Army 1918 

Considering that the military unit has gained adequate experience and exposure to a wide range of military activities, it was assigned to the French Army in a bid to take part in the war. The assignment resulted from the fact that the majority of the white American soldiers did not want to take part in performing combat duties in conjunction with the blacks. During the assignment to the French Army, the 369th Regiment did not experience racial discrimination as opposed to when they were in different camps in the United States. The Regiment served within the French diligently and was relieved from the assignment in May in a bid to create a platform for participating in another appointment in different regions.

Honors 

Owing to their own diligence and efforts in the military practices, the Regiment received two Medals of Honor and other numerous awards. The leadership of the Regiment played a significant role in enhancing the performance of the unit by encouraging individual participation in military activities. Considering the existence of racial discrimination within the United States, most of the efforts from the Regiment went unnoticed despite their efforts to engage in war and killing hundreds of soldiers from Germany. A day after the Armistice Day, the French government awarded the Regiment with Croix de Guerre , which is a military decoration used in recognition of the soldiers with outstanding performances (Sammons & Morrow, 2014).

Conclusion 

In conclusion, the infantry regiment comprised of African Americans that were eager to engage in the world war in a bid to create a representation of their community. The 369th Infantry regiment was formed in 1913 and began engaging in various military practices in New York. The infantry regiment engaged in learning basic and complex practices that are crucial in the military in a bid to enhance their experience. Following different pieces of training, the military unit they received their first assignment to the French Army and later to other regions.

References

Bruce, R. B. (2004). Harlem's Hell Fighters: The African-American 369th Infantry in World War I.  The Journal of Military History ,  68 (1), 269-270.

Sammons, J. T., & Morrow, J. H. (2014).  Harlem's Rattlers and the Great War: The undaunted 369th Regiment and the African American quest for equality  (p. 7). University Press of Kansas.