In New York, some Puerto Ricans joined the 369th Infantry Regiment, which was mostly composed of African-Americans. They were not allowed to fight alongside their white counterparts; however, they were permitted to fight as part of a French division. They fought along the Western Front in France, and their reputation earned them the nickname of "the Harlem Hell Fighters" by the Germans. Among them was Rafael Hernández Marín, considered by many as Puerto Rico's greatest composer; The 369th was awarded French "Croix de guerre" for battlefield gallantry by the French government.