[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5248 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5248
To award a Congressional gold medal to the 369th Infantry Regiment,
commonly known as the ``Harlem Hellfighters'', in recognition of their
bravery and outstanding service during World War I.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 21, 2019
Mr. Suozzi introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on
House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
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A BILL
To award a Congressional gold medal to the 369th Infantry Regiment,
commonly known as the ``Harlem Hellfighters'', in recognition of their
bravery and outstanding service during World War I.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Harlem Hellfighters Congressional
Gold Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) When the United States officially entered World War I
in April 1917, the Armed Forces were still segregated, even
though African-American soldiers had served and distinguished
themselves in every war since the Revolutionary War.
(2) The 15th New York National Guard Regiment was mobilized
in 1917 as the 369th Infantry Regiment and called into Federal
service on July 25, 1917.
(3) The 369th completed its basic military practice
training at Camp Whitman, New York.
(4) To receive combat training, the 369th reported on
October 8, 1917, to Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina, where the
369th experienced many incidents of racial discrimination.
(5) Because many White soldiers refused to perform combat
duty with Black soldiers, members of the 369th were initially
assigned manual labor tasks, such as loading and unloading
supplies, and constructing roads and railroads.
(6) To escape such prejudice, the Regiment shipped off to
France in early 1918 and, on April 8 of that year, was assigned
to the French Army for the duration of American participation
in the war.
(7) On September 25, 1918, the Fourth French Army went on
the offensive in conjunction with the American drive in the
Meuse-Argonne where the 369th captured the important village of
Sechault despite sustaining severe losses.
(8) The 369th was also present in the Champagne-Marne,
Meuse-Argonne, Champagne 1918, and Alsace 1918 campaigns, and
fought in the Battles of Belleau Wood and Chateau-Thierry.
(9) On November 26, 1918, the 369th reached the banks of
the Rhine River, the first Allied unit to do so.
(10) The 369th was relieved of its assignment with the
French 161st Division on December 12, 1918, then returned to
New York, and was demobilized on February 28, 1919.
(11) The 369th received a parade down 5th Avenue in New
York on February 17, 1919, receiving applause and cheers from
hundreds of thousands of onlookers.
(12) For his courageous and patriotic service, Private
Henry Johnson of the 369th received the French Croix de Guerre,
with Palm, for extraordinary valor, the first American to be
awarded this honor. He also belatedly received a Purple Heart,
was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and in 2015 was
awarded the Medal of Honor.
(13) Over 170 individual members of the 369th received the
Croix de Guerre, many, the Distinguished Service Cross, and the
369th was awarded a unit citation.
(14) The 369th was dubbed the ``Harlem Hellfighters'' by
German soldiers, who found the men to be incredibly determined
and courageous in battle.
(15) The 369th was one of the first regiments of African
Americans to serve with the American Expeditionary Forces
during World War I and one of the first units in the United
States to have Black officers lead enlisted men.
(16) Altogether, the 369th spent 191 days on the front line
in World War I, more than any other American unit.
(17) The 369th never lost a foot of ground or had a man
taken prisoner, despite suffering greater losses than any other
American regiment, with over 1,500 casualties.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Award Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of Representatives
and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate
arrangements for the award, on behalf of the Congress, of a single gold
medal of appropriate design to the 369th Infantry Regiment, commonly
known as the ``Harlem Hellfighters'', in recognition of their bravery
and outstanding service during World War I.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award referred to
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury shall strike the gold
medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be
determined by the Secretary.
(c) Smithsonian Institution.--
(1) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal
under subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the
Smithsonian Institution, where it will be displayed as
appropriate and made available for research.
(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the Smithsonian Institution should make the gold medal received
under this Act available for display elsewhere, particularly at
other locations and events associated with the Harlem
Hellfighters.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
Under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may
prescribe, the Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of
the gold medal struck under section 3(b), at a price sufficient to
cover the costs of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of
machinery, and overhead expenses.
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.
Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes
of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
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