By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
Members of the 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the “Harlem Hellfighters, were posthumously honored with a Congressional Gold Medal for their bravery and service in World War I during a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 3. The segregated African-American unit spent 191 days in combat, defending the trenches on the front lines without yielding any ground.
The medal is the highest civilian award given by the U.S. Congress and is bestowed upon individuals who have had a major and lasting impact on American history and culture. Legislators in attendance overwhelmingly agreed that the recognition was long overdue.
“The Harlem Hellfighters gave everything for America. Today, America tries to give back,” said Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.). “This medal will stand for them, their families, their descendants and for every American who leads with courage, sacrifice and service. It’s never too late to do the right thing.”
Suozzi introduced the Harlem Hellfighters Congressional Gold Medal Act in 2021 after learning about the story of Sgt. Leander Willet in 2019. Willet, who also hailed from Suozzi’s hometown of Glen Cove, N.Y., was stabbed with a bayonet and attacked with mustard gas during his service. In spite of this, he never received a Purple Heart, a medal given to service members who are wounded or killed at enemy hands.
After helping to secure the recognition for him, Suozzi dug deeper into the history of the Harlem Hellfighters. He joined forces with Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand to get the legislation passed under former President Joe Biden.
“Today’s honor is another step toward justice and telling America the story of Black men who fought for democracy abroad while being denied democracy at home,” said Beatty, former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. “The Harlem Hellfighters wore the uniform of a nation that segregated them, yet still they fought with unmatched valor and unshakeable courage.”
Although slavery had been abolished decades before World War I, Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation and discrimination across the U.S., including in its military. The Harlem Hellfighters were assigned to fight under French command because White, American soldiers refused to serve with them.
More than 2,500 Harlem Hellfighters served over the course of the war. The unit ultimately spent more time in continuous combat than any other American unit of its size. It also suffered the most casualties, totaling over 1,400.
The Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to descendants of the Harlem Hellfighters during the ceremony. Debra Willet, granddaughter of Sgt. Leander Willet, was on hand to express gratitude for her grandfather’s recognition.
“I know that my grandfather and the other brave men that fought alongside him never thought that their courage and their exploits would be celebrated in such a revered setting, and I thank all of you for giving them this honor,” said Willet. “They sacrificed, and they thought that they were making a difference— today proves that they did.”
