Order of Commendation from the Commander of the French Armies of the East
date: label: Date
content: March 19, 1919
name: label: Created by
content: French Republic, French, founded 1792
label: Subject of
content: Cpl. Lawrence Leslie McVey, Sr., American, 1897 - 1968
label: Subject of
content: 369th Infantry Regiment, American, 1913 - 1945
notes: label: Caption
content: Due to racial tension within the US Army, the 369th Infantry Regiment was assigned to the French Army for the duration of US involvement in World War I. Formed from the 15th New York National Guard Regiment and nicknamed the "Harlem Hellfighters," the 369th was the first African American regiment to reach the battlefields of World War I and the first Allied troops to reach the banks of the Rhine. Upon completion of the 369th’s service in the war, the regiment had spent 191 days in combat, the longest of any American regiment. In appreciation for their actions in the Maison-en-Champagne campaign, the 369th was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French Government for acts of bravery in conflicts against the enemy. In addition to this honor, 171 individual members of the 369th Regiment were awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honor. The 369th Regiment finished their service in Europe and returned to the US in February 1919.
label: Description
content: An English-language dispatch titled [ORDER NO. 14.645 "D" (EXTRACT)] from the General Headquarters of the French Armies of the East. The commendation comes from the [Personnel Bureau / (Decorations)] and lists French and American forces and personnel who have put Corporal Laurence Leslie McVey up for an award. The order praises McVey for displaying courage by leading an attack that resulted in his being wounded. The paper has three distinct horizontal creases and one vertical crease.
label: Description
content: There is brown packing tape on the reverse and clear Scotch tape on the reverse and obverse holding the lower section together. Content is identical to object 2011.108.11.
label: Transcription Center Status
content: Transcribed by digital volunteers
place: label: Place made
content: France, Europe
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Military
label: Topic
content: World War I
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Documents and Manuscripts
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Gina R. McVey, Granddaughter
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2011.108.10
objectType: label: Type
content: orders (military records)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ink on paper with pressure-sensitive tape
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 10 7/8 × 8 3/8 in. (27.6 × 21.3 cm)