Chris Boonzaier Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 An African American soldier of the 92nd Infantry Division, wounded on the 11th of November 1918..... last day of the war.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted October 24, 2009 Author Share Posted October 24, 2009 If anyone knows of a ribbon.............. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulsterman Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 If anyone knows of a ribbon.............. ;-) Have faith-one will show up. I know of several good-old-boy gun collectors who have all sorts of tat stuck away in cigar boxes. You never know what will show up eventually. Try a post on the wants forum at OMSA too-Fred Borgman may be able to help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rick Research Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 "Buffalo soldier" referred ONLY to cavalrymen in the American Southwest. A Black soldier in any other unit would not have been called that. What infantry regiment was he in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted October 24, 2009 Author Share Posted October 24, 2009 "Buffalo soldier" referred ONLY to cavalrymen in the American Southwest. Hi, not according to this... they even wore a buffalo patch... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/92nd_Infantry_Division_(United_States) I think he was 366... have to check my old mails... Best Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rick Research Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 "Buffalo Division" is not "buffalo soldiers." No connection by units, service, or "tradition." 366th? Ah, too bad. I have history of the 371st, written by my Sainted Ma's first boss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted October 24, 2009 Author Share Posted October 24, 2009 "Buffalo Division" is not "buffalo soldiers." No connection by units, service, or "tradition." 366th? Ah, too bad. I have history of the 371st, written by my Sainted Ma's first boss. Hi, It seems to be a title they adopted for themselves then... even the history is called.. "Buffalo Soldiers: The 92nd Infantry Division and Reinforcements in World War II, 1942-1945 " Their veterans assoc etc is also refers to them as "buffalo soldiers".. I guess its like "Leathernecks" or "GIs"..... also a name kept over from the past. They want to call themselves "Buffalo Soldiers"... let em do it, sometimes tradition is deeper than following the official linage of a regiment. When the 92nd was formed it was still A1 segregation time, and I bet a black GI in 1917 Alabama was very much aware that he was in the same position as a "buffalo Soldier" of earlier times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Liontas Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 Hi, It seems to be a title they adopted for themselves then... even the history is called.. "Buffalo Soldiers: The 92nd Infantry Division and Reinforcements in World War II, 1942-1945 " Their veterans assoc etc is also refers to them as "buffalo soldiers".. I guess its like "Leathernecks" or "GIs"..... also a name kept over from the past. They want to call themselves "Buffalo Soldiers"... let em do it, sometimes tradition is deeper than following the official linage of a regiment. When the 92nd was formed it was still A1 segregation time, and I bet a black GI in 1917 Alabama was very much aware that he was in the same position as a "buffalo Soldier" of earlier times. Amazing PH Chris! One of the rarest out there. Do you have the print of the AGO card to go with it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted November 1, 2009 Author Share Posted November 1, 2009 Amazing PH Chris! One of the rarest out there. Do you have the print of the AGO card to go with it?? Hi, not yet, but I hope to get one soon. Best Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
army historian Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Chris, the term "Buffalo Soldier" was what the Indians called all Black troops. It was because of their dark skin and wooly hair. Also the term was first applied to the 9th Cavalry Regiment, and later the 10th Cavalry and 24th Infantry Regiments. From about the Spanish American War to World War 2 the term was stilled used for Black troops of any unit. Today it has become a tradition. I really hate it when people try to re-write history like the "Buffalo Soldier" website by Wal-Mart. As I understand it a "Buffalo Soldier" is a African American period. Hope this helps. Also that is a great purple heart. I hope you send a SF-180 to the National Personnel records Center, and his records were not destroyed in the 1973 fire. Good Luck. Captain George Albert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 Hi, here is a bit of a write up of their last day of the war when "my man" was wounded... http://www.kaiserscross.com/41815/239601.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted July 14, 2013 Author Share Posted July 14, 2013 Visiting a cemetary today andfound these by chance.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul R Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 Great PH Chris. Did you ever manage to obtain any more information on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottplen Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 Super Heart !!! Rare ! I had a KIA 371IR 92nd division wwii always wanted a ww1 92nd ! A ribbon will show up just keep looking !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
army historian Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 Chris I can get you a length (any size) of replacement ribbon, and supply a slip brooch if you would like, let me Know. George Albert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herman Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Chris, is the heart numbered and so which number. Thx Herman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 Hi, Thanks for the offer Albert, i still have a piece spare. Herman, it is 59606 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBeltram Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Hi Chris, Great Purple Heart, here are two WWII patches (from my son's collection, they used to belong to me) that were used by Black Divisions in the war (92nd and the 93rd). Regards, Jody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted November 9, 2015 Author Share Posted November 9, 2015 Just doing a bit of research on this medal.... its pretty cool... slight hints of "Django Unchained" ... Some leadbelly and touch of the old chain gang.... Going through ancestry it seems many African American soldiers came from big cities, William M Cain, born in October 1888 was a "Farmer" on the Bella Mina Plantation in Limestone, Alabama. Handling the medal today I feel almost obliged to go dust off my copy of "Mississippi Burning" and open a bottel of Rye Whiskey... With many medals the recipient's part in History probably ended when his service did, then he went back to everyday life... I cant help feeling old William M Cain went back to a life that was probably just was interesting as his service days were.... Maybe I am totally wrong, but I can almost see a hollywood movie, a black guy coming home to Alabama, in uniform in 1919.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuka f Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 46 minutes ago, Chris Boonzaier said: .... Maybe I am totally wrong, but I can almost see a hollywood movie, a black guy coming home to Alabama, in uniform in 1919.... I know that feeling! Got ton's of scenario's for movies somewhere in my head....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted November 9, 2015 Author Share Posted November 9, 2015 Interesting article.... http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwi/articles/fightingforrespect.aspx This sentence is pretty interesting.... "African American men who owned their own farms and had families were often drafted before single white employees of large planters. Although comprising just ten percent of the entire United States population, blacks supplied thirteen percent of inductees. " William Cain was a self employed farmer with a wife and child, the draft board denied his deferement and wrote on the card that the Wife and child could go live with the Grandparents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul R Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 This is a most significant item Chris. I'd say one of the biggest I've seen here on the forum as it relates to American History- esp the Civil Rights movement. I wish I had something of value in trade that you would be interested in.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul R Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 Chris! I am with you! I would not part with this regardless. I am not a typical US collector, but something as poignant as this is impossible to walk away from. I am so busy with my college work (as well as work, family and etc) that I do not have time to think, but I really want to take some time to research this guy! I bet his story is amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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