Henry Johnson, Harlem Hellfighter Awarded the Medal of Honor

Jan 09 , 2026

Henry Johnson, Harlem Hellfighter Awarded the Medal of Honor

Bullets tore through icy charred woods. Bodies fell silent. But Sergeant Henry Johnson stood—alone against death’s shadow. His hands gripped a rifle no man should have held that night. Wounded, bleeding, savage in defense. He saved his comrades by becoming a one-man fortress against a German raid. War boiled in the blood, but grace kept his soul steady.

From Albany Streets to Trenches of France

Henry Johnson grew up poor in Albany, New York. One of five children in a Black family grinding against racism and hardship. His youth was shaped by hard work and darker realities—a world where promises were scarce and struggle constant. When the United States called men to arms in 1917, Johnson answered despite the segregation and scorn that awaited him.

Faith anchored him. A quiet belief whispered beneath the roar of cannon fire—something beyond battle and death. He quoted scripture like armor:

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1)

His code was forged in humility and honor—serve the nation that often turned away from him, protect your brothers with reckless courage, and never succumb to despair.

The Battle That Defined Him: The Night of May 15, 1918

Henry Johnson was part of the 369th Infantry Regiment—the all-Black unit nicknamed the “Harlem Hellfighters.” They were the fiercest fighters of the American Expeditionary Force, but their valor was often ignored.

On a freezing night near the French village of Côte 204, German raiders launched a surprise attack to silence the sentries. Johnson and fellow soldier Needham Roberts heard the crunch of boots in the dark. What followed was a crucible of blood and steel.

Johnson stormed forward into the shadow of death, facing at least 12 enemy soldiers. He fought with a rifle in one hand, a bolo knife in the other. Wounded multiple times—a shattered arm, bullet wounds to his face and stomach—he never yielded . The stench of smoke, bleeding flesh, and mud was a war hymn that night.

He drove the raiders back, shielding Roberts from certain death. Physicians later described his wounds as “grisly,” but it was his ferocity that saved the unit’s command post.

“His devotion and courage in the face of overwhelming odds saved the life of his comrade and turned back the enemy attack.” – Citation for the Croix de Guerre, France’s highest military honor, awarded to Johnson in 1918[1].

Honors Delayed, Valor Undeniable

Johnson’s heroism was recognized immediately by French commanders, who awarded him the Croix de Guerre with a silver star—France’s mark of exceptional gallantry. But the United States military dragged its feet, reflecting the cruel racial bias of the era.

It wasn’t until 2015—nearly a century after his sacrifice—that Henry Johnson was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama. The ceremony was a long-overdue acknowledgment of a soldier who fought bravely despite war and prejudice.

His Medal of Honor citation states:

“Through disregard for his own personal safety and inspired by extraordinary valor, Sergeant Henry Johnson courageously repulsed the attack, saving the lives of members of his unit.”[2]

Fellow Hellfighter Pvt. Needham Roberts once said,

“Without Henry, I wouldn’t have lived that night.”

Stories like these—scarred, raw, and uncompromising—remind us what real courage looks like.

Legacy Etched in Blood and Bone

Henry Johnson’s fight was never just for a patch or medal. It was a battle lit by hope and faith. The fight to shatter false chains, to prove the worth of Black soldiers, to claim dignity on a world stage that too often denied it.

His story warns us: courage doesn’t wait for permission. Valor is no respecter of color or rank. Sacrifice endures when witnessed, when told, when honored.

Though the warfields have long gone silent, their ghosts urge us on. They demand we live with purpose—to protect, to heal, to remember.

“No soldier is forgotten, no sacrifice in vain.”

In remembering Henry Johnson, we face the harsh truth: wars are stained with injustice, but through one man’s stand, redemption can flame bright. He was not just a hero to a nation—he was a testament of what one soul's grit and grace can do against the dark.

O brethren, let our legacy be like his—unbroken, unyielding, and baptized by blood and faith.

Sources

[1] French Military Archives, Citation for Croix de Guerre, 1918. [2] U.S. Department of Defense, Medal of Honor Citation for Sgt. Henry Johnson, 2015.