reference book A Book, "The American Negro in The World War".

[206thCEF]

An interesting book on a,IMHO, little known US Army Division about its time in the US and in battle in France. The book,written in 1919 by Emmett J.Scott (Special Assistant to Secretary of War), describes the formation, training, life in the camps, the campaigns, the names of officers and ORs that won medals,racism in the US, and finally the most single and important contribution of the troops......Jazz music. With numerous official photographs of officers and men of the different units.

For those interested, a period book worth reading.

Joe

The header and chapters:

http://net.lib.byu.edu/estu/wwi/comment/Sc...TC.htm#contents

A direct link to the photographs:

http://net.lib.byu.edu/estu/wwi/comment/Scott/Sillus.htm

The 92nd Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I. Organized in October 1917 at Camp Funston, Kansas, the unit was formed with African American soldiers from all states. Before leaving for France in 1918, the buffalo was selected as the divisional insignia due to the buffalo soldiers nickname, given to African American cavalrymen by Native Americans in the 19th century. The "Buffalo Soldiers Division" nickname was inherited from the 367th Infantry, one of the first units of the division organized.

The 93rd Infantry Division was a "colored" segregated unit of the United States Army in World War I. During tough combat in France it soon acquired from the French the nickname Blue Helmets. This referred to the service of several of its units with the French Army during the Second Battle of the Marne. Consequently, its shoulder patch became a blue French Adrian helmet, to commemorate its service with the French Army during the Spring Offensive.

The 93rd was known initially as the 93rd Infantry Division (Provisional). When it was fully formed, the unit became known as the 93rd Infantry Division (Colored) and was composed of the following regiments:

369th Infantry Regiment ("The Harlem Hellfighters"; formerly the 15th New York National Guard Regiment).

370th Infantry Regiment awarded the Fourragere. (Now lineage is carried on by 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Ill National Guard 371st Infantry Regiment)

372nd Infantry Regiment made up of units from District of Columbia; Connecticut; Massachusetts; Ohio and Maryland National Guard. (Now lineage is carried on by 229th Main Support Battalion, Maryland National Guard).

The division was activated in December 1917 and sent to France; however, the troops never fought together as a division. Over the objections of the division's commander, Brig. Gen. Roy Hoffman (appointed December 15, 1917), its regiments were detached and seconded to the French Army.

The main American Expeditionary Force (AEF) refused to have African-American soldiers in combat, as did the British, to whom the division was originally offered. (Ironically, the commander of the AEF, Gen. John "Black Jack" Pershing had earned his nickname and reputation as a leader in command of the 10th Cavalry, then still a black Buffalo Soldier regiment. While Pershing was an early supporter of having "colored" soldiers in the military, he seems to have bowed to political expediency in this case.)

[Guest Gentlemansquid]

Extremly interesting. I though that African Americans weren't allowed to fight up until WW2 (not including the civil and revolutionary wars).

[centurion]

Extremly interesting. I though that African Americans weren't allowed to fight up until WW2 (not including the civil and revolutionary wars).

That was the (propaganda) line put out for US domestic consumption. Certain elements (mainly, but not exclusively, from the South) had been vehemently opposed to the use of AA soldiers in the first place and later wished to play down or entirely discount their contribution). They had enough clout with successive administrations to largely achieve the latter.