Henry Johnson, Harlem Hellfighter Awarded the Medal of Honor

Dec 10 , 2025

Henry Johnson, Harlem Hellfighter Awarded the Medal of Honor

The night was brutal. Machine guns spit death, shadows gnawed at raw earth, and through the chaos, one man alone stood against a raid that could have shattered his unit.

The Background & Faith of Sgt. Henry Johnson

Born in 1892, Albany, New York, Henry Johnson was forged by hardship and grit long before he faced the trenches of World War I. Raised in a society that often turned its back on Black Americans, he found in himself a profound resilience and unyielding honor. Before the war, he worked as a railroad porter, a man accustomed to long hours and unspoken burdens.

His faith was quiet but unshakable. The Black church, the backbone of his community, planted seeds of endurance and purpose. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me,” guided him—though the literal hell he would walk later stripped faith down to its barest essence: survival, sacrifice, and the hope of redemption.

The Battle That Defined Him

May 15, 1918. Near the village of Fontaine, France, Sgt. Henry Johnson and Pvt. Needham Roberts, both members of the all-Black 369th Infantry Regiment—known as the Harlem Hellfighters—were on sentinel duty. Suddenly, a German raiding party struck.

What happened next embroidered Johnson into the fabric of battlefield legends.

Sgt. Johnson fought alone, weapon in both hands, against an enemy force estimated to be ten strong. Despite a shrapnel wound to his head that left him dazed, and a bayonet through his right arm, he fought with ferocity unmatched.

Johnson wielded his rifle, a bolo knife, and his bare fists. He slashed, stabbed, and bludgeoned enemies who closed in. When the machine gun told a different story, Johnson desperately seized grenades to hurl back, detonating them amid the attackers. The young soldier relentlessly pushed on, refusing to yield, buying critical time to save his comrade and his unit.

Against the odds, he survived with severe wounds: his right arm broken, multiple bayonet stabs, and shotgun pellet injuries. Yet, the attack was repulsed. Johnson’s valor stopped the raid dead in its tracks.

The Harlem Hellfighters’ resilience—their refusal to be broken by race or enemy—shone that day. Johnson symbolized every soldier who moves forward through fire, blood, and terror. His fierce defense was not just for survival, but for the dignity of his people and the legacy of the American soldier.

Recognition for Relentless Valor

For decades, official recognition lagged behind the facts. Henry Johnson received the French Croix de Guerre with palm—their highest combat honor—but the U.S. Army hesitated.

Only in 2015, nearly a century later, was Sgt. Henry Johnson awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration for valor, posthumously recognizing his extraordinary bravery. President Barack Obama called Johnson’s story one of “a hero’s heart beating in the darkest night.”¹

“His sacrifice was a light in the darkness. He saved his platoon and showed the world that courage has no color.” — Representative Charlie Rangel, advocate for Johnson’s recognition²

French commander Henri Gouraud wrote, “We owe this black soldier the heartfelt thanks of a grateful nation… protected by his determination on that night of terror.”³

The Medal’s citation speaks with raw respect:

“By his prompt and vigorous conduct, Sgt. Johnson saved the lives of his comrades and inflicted heavy casualties upon a much larger enemy force.” — Medal of Honor citation⁴

Legacy & Lessons from the Harlem Hellfighter

Sgt. Henry Johnson’s story cuts through time like a bayonet through fog. It reminds us that valor knows no race, pain no surrender, and courage no expiration date.

He was not just a soldier but a symbol of redemption in a world that too long denied him honor. His scars were on the outside—and the inside—in a country yet to truly acknowledge Black warriors.

Johnson’s fight was never just against German bullets but against the slow bullets of prejudice and invisibility. The lesson is brutal, necessary: True bravery demands recognition beyond the battlefield. True valor commands justice—both for the living and those who sleep in foreign soil.

Closing: A Soldier’s Redemption

“For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life... shall be able to separate us from the love of God,” writes Paul to the Romans. Sgt. Henry Johnson’s life, fight, and legacy echo this truth.

A tired war hero who never gave up. A man who held the night at bay so others could live.

His story is a battle hymn—a call to remember those who fight unseen wars against terror and injustice. To honor Henry Johnson is to honor all who endure without acclaim, whose sacrifices carve paths toward light.

The ground he defended remains sacred. His courage—a beacon for all who carry their scars in silence.

Sources

1. White House Archives — Medal of Honor Ceremony for Sgt. Henry Johnson 2. Congressional Record, Representative Charlie Rangel Speech on Henry Johnson 3. French Military Archives — Citation from General Henri Gouraud 4. U.S. Army Center of Military History — Medal of Honor Citation for Sgt. Henry Johnson