Henry Johnson, Harlem Hellfighter at Argonne Who Refused to Yield

Oct 31 , 2025

Henry Johnson, Harlem Hellfighter at Argonne Who Refused to Yield

Bloodied and alone, Sergeant Henry Johnson stood his ground against a hissing German assault—his bullets a lone thunderstorm in a night dripping with death. Wounded, outnumbered, unimaginable pain clawing at his body, yet he ran toward the enemy, not away. Every shot fired was a prayer for his fallen comrades, a fierce claim staked in the mud-soaked hell of the Meuse-Argonne.

The Man Behind the Rifle: Foundation of Faith and Fortitude

Henry Johnson wasn't born onto a battlefield. He was born in Brunswick, New York, 1892, into a world carved by segregation and second-class hopes. The son of West Indian immigrants, he grew up in a country that saw his skin before his soul. But Henry carried something no prejudice could touch—an unbreakable spirit and faith.

He enlisted in the 369th Infantry Regiment, the "Harlem Hellfighters," a Black unit fighting in a white-dominated army. His code was simple: fight not for recognition but for survival and honor.

Deuteronomy 31:6 stood like armor around him:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Henry's faith didn't make him naive. It steeled him for the ugly reality: fight hard, or die quietly.

The Battle That Defined Him: Night Raid on the Argonne Forest

On May 15, 1918, Henry’s unit was stationed along the Argonne Forest, holding a strategic outpost. The night was black as sin, the silence thick. Then came the sudden shriek of German raiders—dozens of them, creeping into the trenches like shadows of death.

The 369th was caught off guard; many in his unit fled or surrendered. But Henry Johnson stayed. The orders were chaos, but his instincts roared. He grabbed a rifle and a bolo knife, and met the enemy head-on.

Despite a shattered face from rifle fire, a crushed jaw, and countless bayonet wounds, Johnson fought like a man possessed. He killed multiple enemy soldiers with his bolo knife, held the line with his rifle, and even turned enemy grenades back on them.

His defense saved his platoon from massacre. War correspondent Floyd Gibbons, present after the battle, wrote Johnson’s actions "were the bravest thing in the war."

His Medal of Honor citation tells it:

“By fierce hand-to-hand combat, he prevented the raid from succeeding despite many serious wounds.”[1]

The Price of Valor and Recognition

Henry Johnson’s wounds were horrific: shattered jaw, multiple bayonet and bullet wounds, and a mangled face. His recovery was long, painful, and largely ignored by the Jim Crow military.

Initial decorations were posthumous honors and French awards—he received the Croix de Guerre with palm from France, the first American soldier so honored.[2] The Medal of Honor from the U.S. was delayed by decades, only awarded posthumously in 2015.

Military historians and veterans’ groups fought to correct the historic injustice. The words of Johnson’s comrades pressed on:

"He ran toward the enemy with only a knife, fighting them off while bleeding out. That's guts." – Pvt. James W. Mickens, fellow Hellfighter[3]

His courage was undeniable. The wounds on his body told a story of sacrifice, but the wounds on his legacy told a story of racial prejudice.

Legacy Written in Blood and Faith

Sgt. Henry Johnson’s story is not just of guns and guts—it’s a testament to redemption through sacrifice. A man who fought doubly hard: against brutal enemy fire and the corrosive racism of his own country.

His stand in the Argonne is a timeless lesson: courage is born from the refusal to surrender, faith is forged in the fire of trials, and heroism is often ignored until history catches up.

Johnson’s scars remain invisible in many histories, but they mark the path for every veteran who ever faced a battle the world forgot to honor.

He proved that even in the darkest trenches, light—faith, valor, and perseverance—will shine through.

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life.” – James 1:12

Sources

[1] U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War I [2] Robert W. Snyder, The Harlem Hellfighters: Black Soldiers in World War I, Westholme Publishing [3] Floyd Gibbons, The Red Dawn on the Meuse, Saturday Evening Post (1918)