Original Caption: Officers of the Famous Colored Regiment which Arrived Home on the “France.” Left to right: Maj. J.R. White; Lt. Col. Otis B. Duncan, highest ranking colored officer in the U.S. Army; Lt. W.J. Warfield. The first of Colonel William Hayward’s troops to return. These officers were all decorated by France and the United States. Officers of the 369th (old 15th New York City) and 370th (Ill.) colored infantry.
The 369th Infantry Regiment, more famously known as the Harlem Hellfighters, was an infantry regiment during World War I. The regiment is well known for its participation in several key battles including Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, Belleau Wood, Chateau-Thierry and Meuse-Argonne. By the end of the 369th Infantry’s campaign, they suffered 1,500 casualties, the highest of any U.S. regiment. They also spent 191 days in front-line trenches, longer than any unit of their size. Upon the regiment’s arrival in the United States, they were celebrated with a parade in New York City.
