The 369th Infantry, or the old 15th New York National Guard Regiment, was first organized in New York City in 1916 by authority of the New York State Legislature. It was reorganized by the War Department as a National Guard regiment of the United States on April 9, 1917, and placed under the command of Colonel William Hayward. It is proud of the fact that it was the first National Guard regiment of the United States to reach war strength of 2001 men and 56 officers, that it was the first in the field, that it was under fire for 191 days, longer than any other American regiment, and that after the armistice it led the French armies to the Rhine, being the first Allied unit to enter Germany. In all these ways its record was unique. The morning following its mobilization on the night of July 14, 1917, it was moved to Camp Whitman, near Poughkeepsie; and when the President of the United States drafted the National Guard regiments on August 5, it was immediately placed on active duty without any training whatever. The First Battalion, commanded by Major Lorillard Spencer, guarded 600 miles of railroad in New York and New Jersey, several uniform and shoe factories near New York City, and the German ships seized by the United States Government. The Second Battalion, commanded by Major Munson Morris, did pioneer and guard duty at Camp Upton when it was a wilderness. The Third Battalion, commanded by Major Edward Dayton, with the band did similar work at Camp Dix, transforming it from a cornfield into a camp. The machine-gun company guarded 2000 German spies interned at Ellis Island. Meanwhile regimental headquarters remained in New York City. On October 5, 1917, regimental headquarters and two battalions went to Camp Wadsworth, Spartanburg, S. C., for training with the 27th Division, but after two weeks’ stay in camp the regiment was ordered to Hoboken to embark for France. It did not sail on October 27 as planned because of the lack of equipment, and while this was being secured the various battalions were billeted in armories in different parts of New York City. On November 11, 1917, however, fully equipped, it went aboard the U. S. S. “Pocahontas,” which sailed that night for France in a convoy. On the second day out engine troubles developed and the ship was obliged to return to port. The regiment went to Camp Merritt, where details helped to finish the camp. It again embarked, but this time the “Pocahontas” caught fire and for ten days was tied up at the docks. On the night of December 13 she finally sailed, but even then she seemed destined not to land the regiment in France, for she collided with a British oil tanker which drove a hole in her bow. This, however, was repaired and the trip was completed on December 26, when Brest was safely reached.