HALLELUJAH FOR THE HELLFIGHTERS. Ephesians 6:12

HALLELUJAH FOR THE HELLFIGHTERS. Ephesians 6:12

The Story of the 369th Infantry Regiment and Joseph Ulyses Lamkin of Luling, Texas. By Pastor Kyev Tatum, Black Texans, Inc.

Built to Last. Fought to Win. Faith to Overcome.

The Harlem Hellfighters of the 369th Infantry Regiment were not just warriors of war—they were warriors of the Word. Armed with faith, resilience, and righteousness, they fought in two worlds: one of flesh and bone in the trenches of World War I, and one of spirit and soul on the frontlines of racial injustice back home.

Among these brave soldiers stood a man from the “toughest town in Texas”—Private Joseph Ulyses Lamkin of Luling. His journey is a bridge between battlefield valor and hometown legacy, between sacred duty and generational impact. His story reminds us that the struggle for justice is both spiritual and generational.

THE 369TH INFANTRY REGIMENT

God’s Soldiers in America’s Uniform

Born out of necessity and divine purpose, the 369th Infantry Regiment—originally the 15th New York National Guard (Colored)—was forged in a segregated America but destined for immortality. Denied respect at home, they were reassigned to the French military, who recognized their humanity and embraced their capability.

Clad in French helmets, armed with foreign rifles, but powered by righteous indignation and holy grit, the Hellfighters fought 191 days in continuous combat, more than any other American unit in WWI. They never lost a trench. Never gave up a man. Never broke the line.

They earned the Croix de Guerre. The world saluted them. Their own country silenced them.

But God saw them. And now, so does world history.

PRIVATE JOSEPH ULYSES LAMKIN

The Buffalo Soldier Who Fought Like Hell.

From Luling’s red clay to France’s bloodied fields, Joseph Lamkin brought Texas toughness to the trenches. Born in the early 1890s and raised in a community of proud yet oppressed African Americans, Lamkin embodied the very spirit of the Buffalo Soldier—unyielding, unafraid, and unapologetically faithful.

He didn’t just join the war. He joined the ranks of the most decorated regiment in U.S. military history. And on September 3, 2025, more than a century later, his name will be read in the halls of Congress as part of the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony honoring the 369th—a heavenly vindication for a hellbound fight.

FROM THE TRENCHES TO THE TARMAC. https://www.lewisfuneralhome.com/obituary/Ulyses-LamkinO

The Legacy that Took Flight

Lamkin’s fire didn’t die in France. It was passed on—to his son, CW4 Ulyses “Lam” Lamkin Jr., a legendary Black military aviator who flew missions in Korea and Vietnam, collecting a trail of medals that include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, and 37 Oak Leaf Clusters for the Air Medal.

He turned his father’s flames into flight—rising above limits set by man through the lift of God.

THE SCHOOL THAT PLANTED THE SEED

Luling’s Rosenwald Legacy

Behind every hero is a house of learning. For Lamkin, it was Luling’s Rosenwald School, one of nearly 5,000 schools built across the South to educate Black children in the face of Jim Crow. It was there that minds were sharpened, spirits were lifted, and dreams were made real.

That school—built from faith, hope, and $500-dollar gifts—became a launching pad for greatness. It sowed seeds in students like Lamkin who would reap a harvest of historic glory.

FIVE LEGACIES. ONE STORY. ETERNAL IMPACT.

On September 3, 2025, when the Lamkin family stands in Emancipation Hall, five powerful legacies converge:

1. The Lamkin Family Legacy – A multi-generational testimony of faith, courage, and service.

2. The Luling Legacy – A tough town that birthed tougher heroes.

3. The Rosenwald Legacy – Education that defied segregation and ignited genius.

4. The Buffalo Soldier & 369th Legacy – Black men who fought like Hell with Heaven in their hearts.

5. The Congressional Gold Medal Legacy – A sacred recognition for unrecognized valor.

This is not just a military celebration. It is a spiritual reckoning, a moral resurrection, and a generational shout of victory. It says to America—and the world—that Black service is holy service, and that our legacies, like our soldiers, are built to last.

A HOMECOMING OF HONOR

When the descendants of Joseph Ulyses Lamkin walk through the doors of the Capitol, they will not arrive alone.

They’ll carry the prayers of enslaved ancestors.

They’ll bear the dignity of the Rosenwald schoolhouse.

They’ll wear the pride of Luling, Texas.

They’ll echo the footsteps of the Harlem Hellfighters.

And they’ll rise with the wings of a Lamkin legacy that turned war into worship.

Because when we honor Private Lamkin, we honor the truth:

Black history is holy history.

Black soldiers are spiritual soldiers.

And their fight—our fight—is far from over.

Hallelujah for the Hellfighters.

About the Author

Rev. Kyev P. Tatum, Sr. is a pastor, civil rights advocate, and community historian in Fort Worth, Texas. A graduate of the University of North Texas School of Community Service, he serves as President of the Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas and is a passionate steward of untold Black legacies across the Lone Star State and beyond.

2864 Mississippi Avenue 

Fort Worth, Texas 76104

817-966-7625

kptatum1@gmail.com

www.newmountrose.com