(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 de-
spite sustaining severe losses. 
(8) The 369th was also present in the Cham-
pagne-Marne, Meuse-Argonne, Champagne 1918, 
and Alsace 1918 campaigns, and fought in the Bat-
tles 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 demobi-
lized on February 28, 1919. 
(11) The 369th received a parade down 5th Av-
enue 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 extraor-
dinary valor, the first American to be awarded this 
honor. He also belatedly received a Purple Heart, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:08 Dec 04, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5248.IH
H5248
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
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 Distin-
guished 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 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:43 Dec 05, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5248.IH
H5248
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
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 rec-
ognition 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 em-
blems, 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 avail-
able 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 avail-
able for display elsewhere, particularly at other loca-
tions and events associated with the Harlem 
Hellfighters. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:43 Dec 05, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5248.IH
H5248
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 
Under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treas-
ury may prescribe, the Secretary may strike and sell dupli-
cates 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 med-
als for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States 
Code. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:08 Dec 04, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5248.IH
H5248
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS