Photo By Christopher Kaufmann | Debra Willett, center left, accepts the Congressional Gold Medal for the Army’s...... read more read more
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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Black New York National Guard Soldiers, who were called “hellfighters” by their German enemies in 1917, received Congress’ highest recognition during a Sept. 3, 2025 ceremony at the U.S. Capitol.
The Congressional Gold Medal was presented to descendants of the 4,000 Soldiers who served in the 369th Infantry Regiment, nicknamed the Harlem Hellfighters, during World War I.
The medal is the “highest honor that this body can bestow on any group or individual,” said Mike Johnson, the speaker of the House of Representatives.
The presentation allows the House and the Senate to “show our national appreciation for the achievements and contributions of truly great Americans,” Johnson said.
This recognition was “a joyous occasion,” said Col. Bryon Linnehan, the commander of the Hellfighters of today, the 369th Sustainment Brigade.
Each of the 4,000 Hellfighters had their own story of courage and sacrifice, Linnehan told an audience which included Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth; Air Force General Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Air Force General Steven Nordhaus, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau.
“Today’s Hellfighters honor all of these men to preserve their legacy and example,” Linnehan said.
Army Major General Ray Shields, the Adjutant General of New York, and New York Army National Guard Command Sgt. Major Leylan Jones, the state senior enlisted leader, were also part of the New York National Guard delegation at the ceremony.
The 369th is the only military outfit organized as a National Guard unit, that has received Congress’ top honor.
While the unit was based in Harlem, it eventually recruited Black Americans from across the country after the United States entered World War I in 1917.
When the Soldiers left for France in 1917 they were denied combat duty with the American Army, but instead fought with the French Army.
The 369th Infantry Soldiers served in combat for 191 days, took 1,400 casualties, earned 171 Croix de Guerre medals --France’s highest award for valor-- and were the first Americans to march into Germany at war’s end.
But despite their fame, veterans of the 369th were “lynched”: killed by White mobs who resented Black veterans.
Her knowledge of that history, made the ceremony in the Capitol’s Emancipation Hall especially powerful, said Staff Sgt. Jodian Beckford, a member of the 369th “Sustainment Brigade’s 1501st Field Feeding Company.
As a Black Soldier, it was “more than just a regular day for me,” she said.
“They were being embraced not by families only, but America as a whole. It was an out-of-body experience for me,” Beckford said.
“They were fighting for more than just for the U.S. They were fighting for themselves, to be a part of America,” she added.
The most impressive part of the day, for him, Linnehan recalled, was when the descendants of Harlem Hellfighters in the audience were asked to stand up.
“That was moving, having the descendants there,” he said. “I really appreciated that our country’s leadership turned out for them.”
Army Spec. Matthew Aronberg, an MP who won the 369th’s Best Warrior competition, said “it was a complete honor to be there surrounded by the families of the actual heroes.”
The effort to create a Congressional Gold Medal for the Harlem Hellfighters began when Debra Willet, the granddaughter of a Hellfighter, began pushing for honor.
Long Island Congressman Tom Suozzi embraced the idea and with the support of New York’s Congressional delegation, and others, a bill was signed into law by President Joe Biden commissioning the medal in 2021.
The 369th delegation was presented with a bronze version of the gold medal, which will be in the Smithsonian.
That’s appropriate, Linnehan said.
The Frenchmen the Black Americans of the 369th fought besides, called them the “hommes de Bronze or “men of Bronze” because of their color and their courage, he said.
| Date Taken: | 09.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.24.2025 10:00 |
| Story ID: | 549137 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 57 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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