— "Harlem Hellfighters" Monument —
This monument honors the legendary 369th Infantry Regiment known as the Harlem Hellfighters. The black granite obelisk is a replica of a 1997 memorial that stands in Sechault in Northern France, where the 369th soldiers distinguished themselves in World War I. Unveiled on September 29, 2006, the 88th anniversary of that battle, the obelisk is 12 feet high and features gilded inscriptions, the 369th's crest and its coiled rattlesnake insignia.
During World War I, United States Armed Forces remained segregated by race. In 1913 New York established the 15th New York (Colored) Infantry Regiment, a unit of the National Guard. The U.S. Army mustered the unit into Federal service in 1917, and the 369th (Colored) Infantry Regiment went to France that December, among the first 100,000 troops of the American Expeditionary Force.
Exhibiting extraordinary valor, the 369th, an integral part of the Fourth French Army, fought on the front until the Armistice. During the Meuse-Argonne Offensive the 369th showed exceptional bravery, especially on September 29, 1918, during the liberation of Sechault, when a third of the regiment suffered casualties.
Cited for their heroism, 171 members of the regiment were decorated with the Croix de Guerre (Cross of War) and one officer [1st Lt. George Seanor Robb of Kansas] received the Medal of Honor. Upon their return to the United States, the Harlem Hellfighters were honored by the City with a parade up Fifth Avenue. During World War II, the 369th distinguished itself at Okinawa, and later fought in the Korean and Gulf Wars. The unit serves today as a sustainment brigade.
The 369th Historical Society and the 369th Veterans Association were supported by numerous associated organizations in the commission of this monument. The U.S. Army moved the monument from its fabricator in France to an airfield in Germany, and the New York Air National Guard then brought it to New York. With support from the City Council, Parks and Recreation redesigned and landscaped this triangle to feature the monument.
Across the street stands the 369th Armory, one of the last armories erected in New York City. It was built between 1921 and 1933 and combines both medieval and art deco influences. The building is still home to the 369th Sustainment Brigade, as well as historical exhibits, and a recreation center.
City of New York, Parks & Recreation
Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor;
Adrian Benepe, Commissioner
www.ncy.gov/parks
September 2006
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Inscriptions on the obelisk:]
161st Division (FR) [
south face]
93rd Division (US) [
north face]
369th Infantry Regiment (15th Reg-NYG)
(Colored)
In Memory, 1918 Meuse-Argonne Offensive:
Ripont
Mont-Cuvelet
Sechault;
26 Sep - 1 Oct.
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