MENANDS, NY-A New York Army National Guard Color Guard joins Civil War reenactors and members of the Patriot Guard, in honoring Civil War Soldier 1st Sgt. William Francis, a member of the famed 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first Black unit to fight in the Union Army. Local Civil War historians identified Francis' unmarked grave at historic Albany Rural Cemetery and arranged for the Veterans Administration to provide a new stone to mark his final resting place.
Francis, who enlisted as a private, served throughout the Civil War, including the 54th's assault on Fort Wagner, South Carolina, made famous in the 1989 movie "Glory".
DMNA Press Releases
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WWNY -- Wed, 04 Mar 2026 7 After Noon: Ogdensburg Armory set to house new National Guard unit after recruiting goal surpassed WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - The Ogdensburg Armory is expected to house a New York Army National Guard unit again, after the state exceeded its regional recruiting target, the Guards second-in-command... (more)
Times Union -- Mon, 02 Mar 2026 Duty Calls: Air National Guard recruiter achieves a milestone New York Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Jason Malm achieved a milestone with the recruitment of 200 airmen. Malm, a recruiter with the 109th Airlift Wing, achieved that career milestone by... (more)
Buffalo Ledger -- Fri, 27 Feb 2026 Erie County Sheriffs Deputy awarded by France for actions during Iraq deployment Deputy Aaron Taylor of the Erie County Sheriffs Office Aviation Unit has received the French National Defense Gold Medal with Bronze Star for his actions during a 2023 deployment in Iraq.... (more)