Monday, February 19, 2001

By Adam Ramirez
Kaiserslautern bureau

Adam Ramirez / Stars and Stripes U.S. Army Capt. Troy Mosley address a crowd in France as he tells the story of the Harlem Hellfighters, an all-black 369th Infantry Regiment that came to fight under the French flag in World War I. Mosley is wearing a uniform like the ones the 369th wore. A ceremony was held next to the monument in the French countryside Friday.

SECHAULT, France — Standing next to a polished granite monument in the French countryside on Friday, Army Capt. Troy Mosley told the story of the 369th Infantry Regiment, aka the Harlem Hellfighters.

Wearing a brown, World War I-era French army uniform, Mosley’s eyes were intense and piercing as he brought home the image of the New York-based Hellfighters battles in this foreign farmland.

The all-black 369th Infantry Regiment came to France in 1918 and became the first unit in U.S. history to serve an integral role in a foreign army. The 369th was cited for gallantry under fire and helped the French army fend off the Germans in World War I.

As the U.S. military was not yet integrated, the black soldiers were not allowed to fight under the American flag. So the group of black men fought for the French, to great acclaim and praise from their foreign allies.

The story of the Harlem Hellfighters is not widely known — missing from most textbooks and history lessons. The monument Mosley stood next to was erected only three years ago and many of the 100 Americans who traveled to the ceremony heard the story for the first time on a video playing on tour buses.

Mosely and the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center officials on hand Friday said that should change. They hope excursions like this one will help tell the whole story of black and minority soldiers’ roles in fighting for freedom.

"After being here and telling the story of the 369th, I feel challenged to carry on the tradition and legacy they started," Mosely said. "Taking part in this trip and ceremony exposed me to a part of American and world history I wasn’t aware of. It made me realize we’re all more alike than we are different."

The trip to this French farming town was a "staff ride," a field trip organized by the Landstuhl hospital. The mayor of Sechault, French Army veterans and local citizens stood alongside the American contingent during the ceremony.

Along with Mosely was a color guard wearing uniforms from some of the wars black soldiers have fought in. Uniforms from the Civil War, World War II, Vietnam and Desert Storm were represented.

During the bilingual ceremony — spoken in English and French — the French veterans held up flags and stood at attention. The mayor thanked American military leaders for the 369th’s bravery during the war.

Perhaps the most poignant moment was when a retired French army general delivered a heart-felt thank you to his American compatriots.

"The citizens here are happy and proud this monument stands here in Sechault — it reminds us how the U.S. twice saved us. Not once, but twice from German invaders," Gen. Ivan Dujon said with only a slight French accent. "The 369th regiment was welcome help and treated like equals — they fought bravely and well.

"They suffered heavy casualties; many were killed but they never had a prisoner taken and never lost a foot of ground during the trench war."

Lt. Col. Elder Granger, the hospital’s commander, said this was an important way to celebrate Black History month.

"The story of the Harlem Hellfighters, for the most part, has been left out of the history books," said Granger, who is black. "But black Americans, and Americans of all ethnic groups, have made huge sacrifices and contributions to the freedom we enjoy today."

Ricanthony Ashley, deputy chief of radiology at Landstuhl, said he felt great pride to be a part of Friday’s ceremony.

"This really shows the black soldier’s commitment to freedom that they left the U.S. Army to come fight here with the French," Ashley said, standing with his son Ian. "It’s very significant to me to be able to here and show my son where these men fought and died."

Sechault resident Jean-Luc Mathieu said he feels a sense of gratitude to all American servicemen who fought with his grandfather, who died alongside the Harlem Hellfighters in WWI.

"We are very proud of this monument here in our town — I am grateful to these men for coming to our country to fight," Mathieu said. "We never think of them as black or colored soldiers, just soldiers who were brave men."

Dujon presented Granger with two French medals and spoke of the bravery soldiers of African descent showed under his command in WWII.

"Going back to Henry Johnson and through nearly 150 years of service, black soldiers have served France in the finest capacity," Dujon said.

The 369th was cited for bravery received many awards and accounted for many military "firsts."

Perhaps the most famous member of the 369th was Sgt. Henry Lincoln Johnson, from Albany, N.Y., who achieved fame in France and abroad.

The first American soldier in World War I to receive the French Croix de Guerre, Johnson’s fame was born at "The Battle of Henry Johnson."

Along with Trenton, N.J., native Needleham Roberts, Johnson was on outpost guard duty before dawn on May 14, 1918. A raiding party of 20 Germans attempted to take Roberts prisoner to make an example of the black soldier.

Johnson, using a butt stroke of his rifle and a bolo knife, freed Roberts and between them killed four Germans, wounded several others and held their post as the rest fled.

"Henry Johnson earned fame in France for his bravery and received our highest medal of honor," Dujon said. "Without the help of American soldiers like Johnson, we would have lost that war.

"For the people of France, to you here and all Americans we say simply: thank you."

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