They All Wore the Wool-Portraits of Black Doughboys & Other Ethnic Groups

[Lee Ragan]

You may be correct. The 9th & 10th were some of the first black troops to be labeled "Buffalo Soldiers". So were the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st Infantry Regiments. In 1869, the 38th & 41st Rgt's were merged to form the 24th Infantry Regiment & the 39th & 40th were merged into the 25th IR. The Britannica encyclopedia's definition of Buffalo Soldier defines the term to mean "Nickname given to members of African American cavalry regiments of the U.S. Army who served in the western U.S. (1867 – 96)." If I read the definition on Wikipedia correctly, the term 'Buffalo Soldier' has a broader definition. Here's the link:

 

Buffalo Soldiers on Wikipedia(click here!)

I'm sure one of our members more versed in their history could set the record straight. I don't mean to spread any misinformation on the term "Buffalo Soldier'. According to the various sources I've used, the definition has a much broader connotation than I initially thought. I too thought it related to black soldiers serving in particular 19th century Cav units. If someone can 'set the record straight', I'm all ears.

I've done Indian Wars living history events for many years with black reenactors and they all consider themselves as portraying "Buffalo Soilders". This is a point of pride with them no matter if their impression is cavalry or infantry.

[cthomas]

There are some outstanding photos being posted. Please keep them coming!

 

In regards to the ones posted by 'Forum Support', could these guys be French?

 

'World War I Nerd'-

Thanks for posting that color portrait of the black doughboy. It works for me! Makes for a great comparison with all the b/w images being posted.

 

I would also like to take a second to state it's good to see the thread going the way I intended & that is to talk about the uniforms, what they would have worn, books containing more outstanding images...this is what it's all about!

 

This image is ID'd to a Jammie Williams

[a6skin9]

Asian doughboy.

[Verdun16]

These are French Colonial Troops serving in France,

 

Bryan

 

My wife's great-aunt took these photos when she was an Army nurse in France in WWI. I don't know the nationality of these men:

 

 

 

 

 

One of Nurse Reid's letters home did comment on the multi-racial/multi-national makeup of patients at the America-run hospital:

 

[General Apathy]

Hi Charlie & atb, I think you ( atb ) have nailed the answer to my question on the garrison caps being winter caps worn back to front. That must have been a pretty weird order at the time.

 

Cheers ( lewis )

[Andrei]

Hi mates,

 

while doing internet searches about Army and Navy nurses, I bumped into this blog which might be interesting for this thread.

Check : http://vinnyswebsite.com/africanamericanww1.html

 

Andrei

[cthomas]

Hey guys! Great images & some interesting sites. Thanks for keeping this thread going. I'll be away from my home computer for a while so when I return, I'll post some more images. In the mean time, I'm going to continue the fine work going on here.

 

-Chuck

[37thguy]

Is this the one Charlie?

 

 

 

 

Hi Lewis:

 

Sorry, I don't have any additional information on the photo and I did not record its source. I am mostly interested in USGI small arms and accoutrements so I don't pay much attention to uniform details.

 

BTW, I recall that one of Hayes Otoupalik's early publications had a rather striking photo of an African American doughboy. I don't have access to that at the moment but maybe someone else can dredge it up.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

[Charlie Flick]

Is this the one Charlie?

 

Yes, I believe that is the one I was thinking of. A great image!

 

Charlie

[Charlie Flick]

Charles:

 

Here is another one for you. I don't know the soldier's name, unit or the date of the pic.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

 

 

[cthomas]

Thanks Charlie. Neat portrait! I have a gut feeling you have a few more to share with us

 

Here's one more from my collection:

A pair of war weary doughboys posing for the camera somewhere in France. One guy has a ridding crop & the other has a .45 colt revolver pointed at his buddy.

[Linedoggie]

Acting Sergeant Bhagrat Singh Thind, US Army November 1918

 

 

http://www.bhagatsinghthind.com/Addional_N.../military02.pdf

http://www.bhagatsinghthind.com/Addional_N.../military01.pdf

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagat_Singh_Thind

 

Bhagat Singh came to the US in 1913 to pursue higher education in an American university. However, on July 22, 1918, he was recruited by the US Army to fight in World War I. A few months later, on November 8, 1918, Bhagat Singh, a turban wearing “Hindu”, was promoted to the rank of an Acting Sergeant. He had not even served for a month in his new position when the war was declared ended. He received an “honorable discharge” on 16th of December, 1918, with his character designated as "excellent". [Rashmi Sharma Singh: Petition for citizenship filed on September 27, 1935, State of New York].

[Charlie Flick]

That is a rather amazing photo, Linedoggie. I don't believe that I recall ever before seeing a turban wearing Hindu (a Sikh?) in the US Armed Forces.

 

I note that he is carrying a Model of 1917 rifle and has the distinctive bayonet for it on his pack.

 

Neat pic.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

[Linedoggie]

That is a rather amazing photo, Linedoggie. I don't believe that I recall ever before seeing a turban wearing Hindu (a Sikh?) in the US Armed Forces.

 

I note that he is carrying a Model of 1917 rifle and has the distinctive bayonet for it on his pack.

 

Neat pic.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

This came up recently about the Sikh's desire to serve in the US Army. My First PSG. at Ft. Hood in 1982( SFC Sibia )was a Sikh who retired as a CSM. He wore one the entire time he was with us.

 

He had a Class "A", Khaki, OG Fatigue & an ERDL turban for whatever the uniform of the day was.

 

I did notice the 1917 after I saw the Bayonet Handles grooves, then the hollow ball on the bolt handle.

[gunbarrel]

I'm with Charlie--no water marks. Enjoy and copy away!

 

[gunbarrel]

Florida Black Doughboy Mitchell Evans.

 

[gunbarrel]

Native American Doughboy.

 

[gunbarrel]

Here is a link to Mitchell Evans' draft card.

 

http://www.floridamemory.com/Collections/W...ntOurDocID=9618

[spd811]

[spd811]

[Charlie Flick]

Hey Gunbarrel and SPD811:

 

More great photos! Thanks for the posts.

 

Here is another one from the archives. I don't know what outfit this is but these soldiers look to me to be at a stateside barracks. The caps they are wearing are similar to those worn by the soldiers of the 367th Infantry seen in my post #9 above. They are using Model of 1917 Rifles.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

 

[teufelhunde.ret]

The Choctaw Codetalkers:

As World War I drew to a close, the United States had a continuing problem of phone calls being intercepted by German forces. One could be fairly certain that a German spy would hear any telephone call made. Unfortunately, voice-scrambling technology wouldn’t be invented for decades. The United States came up with several inventive solutions to the problem, but unfortunately none of them worked for any length of time.

 

First, the Army tried trench codes. They worked for a time, but after they had been in use for a while, the Germans readily cracked them. Another solution, sending messengers between camps, failed because Germans captured about one in four.

 

So, what was the Army to do? One smart commander, Captain Lewis, realized that the languages used by American Indians are extremely complex and difficult to learn. He capitalized on the complexity as a code, employing eight Choctaw Indians during the Mousse-Argonne campaign, which turned out as the final German push of the war.

 

The codetalker Indians: Solomon Lewis, Mitchell Bobb, Ben Carterby, Robert Taylor, Jeff Nelson, Pete Maytubby, James Edwards, and Calvin Wilson

 

Simply put, the Indians were stationed at command posts, and spoke all important telephone calls in their native language, translating from and into English for their commanders. German intelligence wasn’t able to figure out what the new American code was or to even think about breaking it.

 

Within 24 hours of the United States starting to use Choctow Indians language as a form of encryption, the tides of war changed in favor of the United States. Within 72 hours, the Germans were in retreat.

 

The Choctow weren’t used again in an unclassified military effort (other data may still be classified). However, the Navajo tribe was utilized in World War II, where they had equal effectiveness at stumping German cryptographers.

[Croix de Guerre]

My wife's great-aunt took these photos when she was an Army nurse in France in WWI. I don't know the nationality of these men:

 

 

 

 

 

One of Nurse Reid's letters home did comment on the multi-racial/multi-national makeup of patients at the America-run hospital:

 

 

 

Great photos! Those are French Colonial troops from Senegal and French IndoChina (Viet Nam).

[BigJohn#3RD]

This is not strictly appropriate for this thread, but I'll throw it out there anyway.

 

Its a reconstruction of a Cpl. 369th Infantry, 93rd Division in October/November 1918. Showing the mix of A.E.F. service dress and French field gear.

The reconstruction of a Cpl. 369th Infantry, 93rd Division in October/November 1918. Showing the mix of A.E.F. service dress and French field gear is 5 Stars in my Book :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: If it was black and white or sepia you probably could not tell the difference,

Regards

John

[BigJohn#3RD]

Here is a picture of a uniform that belonged to a Black DSC Recipient from the 92 Division 1st Lt Charles G. Young. It is grouped with two uniforms of soldiers of another National Army Division 90TH “TOUGH ‘OMBRES” DIVISION as the Uniform of LT Young is on display elsewhere for the Veterans Day Holiday

Background:

He was one of many “Colored” Officers of the Seventeenth Provisional Training Regiment Who Won Commissions October 15, 1917---Their Home Addresses, and National Army Camps to which They Were Assigned.

Charles G. Young First Lieutenant, O. R. C., Washington, D. C., to Camp Meade.

As some of you may know the 92nd was much maligned for not properly covering the flank of the 77th Division during the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. As you will see from the citation of LT Young he and his men did their best to cover the flank, I submit that they were the scapegoats of the Generals such as the 77th commander who ordered his units to proceed regardless of communication with friendly units on your flanks. As usual I digress; I will let the citation speck for the Lieutenant.

 

The Distinguished Service Cross

First Lieutenant Charles G. Young U.S. Army

368th Infantry Regiment, 92 Division, A.E.F.

 

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Charles G. Young, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 368th Infantry Regiment, 92d Division, A.E.F., near Binarville, France, September 27 - 28, 1918. While in command of a scout platoon, First Lieutenant Young was twice severely wounded from shell fire, but refused medical attention and remained with his men, helping to dress their wounds and to evacuate his own wounded during the entire night, and holding firmly his exposed position covering the right flank of his battalion.

 

General Orders No. 128, W.D., 1918

 

Place of birth: Manor, Texas

Home of record: Washington, D.C