Note: This article has been corrected. They called themselves the “Black Rattlers” and the French dubbed them “Men of Bronze,” but the Army now officially recognizes a historic Harlem unit by what the enemy called them in World War I the “Hellfighters.” The “Harlem Hellfighters” is now the official special designation for the 369th Sustainment Brigade, the New York National Guard said Friday. The unit traces its lineage to the all-Black 369th Infantry Regiment, which earned the moniker over a century ago in fierce fighting that’s been credited with helping to break down racial barriers. The regiment was the first unit of the American Expeditionary Force in World War I that allowed Blacks to serve.
he served at the rainbow division amid the blasted of france in world war i when a runner was need today convey message during assault, private did not hesitate, when brother soldiers found body later recovered blood-stain dairy and in it words, my pledge i will work, i will save, i will sacrifice, i will endure. i will fight cheerfully and do my upmost as if the issue of the whole struggle depended on me. so private died, fought and died a century ago but that same fighting fate endures and must endure in our time if our noble experiment in democracy is to endure. go back to those close combat infantry units i mentioned before, consider the latin root