Certificate for French Croix de Guerre medal issued to Cpl. Lawrence L. McVey
date: label: Date
content: March 2, 1928
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: Certificate for French Croix de Guerre medal issued to Corporal Lawrence L. McVey. The certificate is comprised of a central rectangle with a striped border followed by an inner illustration of a wooden frame wrapped in olive leaves on the left and oak leaves on the right. In the center top of the border, is an image of the Croix de Guerre with a helmet and ribbon above. Coming from either side of the helmet are palm and olive leaf branches. The bottom left and right of the rectangle border have a circle with text that reads, [HONNEUR] and [PATRIE]. In the center of the circles on the border, a rectangular space has the dates of World War I, [1914-1918]. The central written and printed section of the certificate is drawn to look like a piece of leather pinned to a frame. The top of the certificate reads in larger letters, [RÉPUBLIQUE / FRANÇAISE / MINISTÉRE / DE LA GUERRE. / CROIX DE GUERRE]. Below, French print and handwritten text described McVey's position and why he was awarded the medal.
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: Awards, Medals, and Insignia
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: 2011.108.9.2
objectType: label: Type
content: certificates
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
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 17 7/8 × 22 3/16 in. (45.4 × 56.4 cm)