Discharge Certificate issued for Cpl. Lawrence Leslie McVey
date: label: Date
content: March 17, 1936; September 16, 1968
name: label: Created by
content: United States Department of War, American, 1789 - 1947
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: A Photostat copy of a discharge certificate for Corporal Lawrence Leslie McVey. Two sheets that are stapled three times at the top. The title on top reads, [U.S. Veterans Administration Claim Number # C 600 698 / CERTIFICATE IN LIEU OF LOST OR DESTROYED / DISCHARGE CERTIFICATE]. Below is the Great seal of the United States with a fill in the blank section below outlining McVey's military service dates. The Second page has a [TRANSCRIPT FROM RECORD OF SERVICE] that tells which battles McVey fought and the decorations and honors he received. The back of the second page has a circular stamp in purple ink that reads, [BRONX, N.Y. / SEP / 16 / 1968 / USPO].
label: Transcription Center Status
content: Transcribed by digital volunteers
place: label: Place made
content: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
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: 2011.108.13
objectType: label: Type
content: photocopies
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: toner on paper with metal
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 14 × 8 11/16 in. (35.6 × 22.1 cm)