During the First World War, Horace served in K Company, the 3rd Battalion of the 369th infantry regiment, known because of their bravery in battle as the famous Harlem Hellfighters. They were transferred to the command of the French Army and were the longest serving U.S. regiment during the conflict. The entire Regiment was awarded the French Croix de Guerre.
In September 1918, Horace was shot in the right shoulder by a German sniper. The injury initially cost him the use of his arm and always limited his range of motion. He was honorably discharged in 1919 and was retroactively awarded a Purple Heart for his combat injury in 1945.
Taling about his war-time experiences, Horace said “I did not care what or where I went. I asked God to help me, and he did so. And that is the way I came through that terrible and Hellish place. For the whole entire battlefield was hell, so it was no place for any human being to be.”
After the war, Horace created four memoirs - one of which he illustrated - describing the horrors of his military service. He returned to war subjects periodically throughout the 1930s and 1940s, and later said that WWI "brought out all the art in me".
With thanks to my dear friend Margaret for bringing Horace Pippin to my attention
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Pippin
