Nov 05 , 2025

Henry Johnson, Harlem Hellfighter Who Earned Late Medal of Honor

No man should face death alone—especially not Henry Johnson.

Darkness clung to the woods outside the village of Belluaire, France, in May 1918. A chilling silence broke as German raiders crept into Allied lines. Sgt. Henry Johnson stood guard. The enemy struck first, savage and sudden. What followed was a battle soaked in blood, grit, and raw survival. Johnson fought not just for his life, but for the men behind him—his brothers in arms.

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The Making of a Warrior

Born into the brutal segregation of early 20th-century America, Henry Johnson’s roots were in Albany, New York. A descendant of enslaved Africans, he grew up wrestling with a country that demanded his service but denied his dignity. Joining the Army’s 369th Infantry Regiment—later immortalized as the Harlem Hellfighters—he stepped into a world where valor often went unseen.

Faith ran through him like blood. Baptized in the doctrine of resilience and hope, Johnson carried a quiet resolve. He believed God had a purpose even in war’s chaos. The Hellfighters moved through France not just as soldiers, but as ambassadors of courage, smashing stereotypes with every patrol and firefight.

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The Fight That Defined a Lifetime

May 15, 1918. Under a moonless sky near the Foret de Argonne, Johnson’s patrol was ambushed by a dozen German soldiers—a raiding party thick with grenades and rifles. Despite suffering multiple wounds—bayonet stab, bullet pockmarks, even shrapnel—he became a one-man army.

Outnumbered and bleeding, Johnson wielded a rifle, a bolo knife, and sheer damn will. Eyewitnesses later described how he shouted warnings to his unit, fought off attackers one after another, and shielded a wounded comrade trapped in the firefight. His hands, swollen and broken, refused to quit.

Corporal Needham Roberts, his partner on that night’s patrol, escaped serious injury thanks to Johnson’s fierce defense. Johnson’s grit bought time—crucial time—for reinforcements to arrive and crush the raid.

He sustained over 20 wounds. Yet, he survived.

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Recognition in a World That Looked Away

Johnson’s heroism was lauded by French forces immediately. The Croix de Guerre was pinned on his chest—France’s high honor for bravery[[1](#sources)]. But back in America, the color of his skin blinded many to the full scope of his sacrifice.

It wasn't until 2015—nearly a century later—that Henry Johnson was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Obama. Finally, his name joined the pantheon of America’s fiercest warriors, clearing the long shadow of neglect.

General John J. Pershing once stated of the 369th Infantry: “The black regiment raised in New York proved itself in combat as well as any unit in the war.” Yet Johnson’s individual story stood out—an emblem of heroic resistance against both enemy fire and systemic injustice.

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Legacy Amid the Scars

"The courage of Henry Johnson echoes through generations," remarked Secretary of the Army John McHugh during the Medal of Honor ceremony. His story is more than a footnote in history books. It is a lesson scorched into our collective conscience:

Sacrifice often goes unsung. Valor is blind to color. And redemption sometimes arrives late.

To those who wear the uniform today, Johnson’s life is a reminder: battles fought for freedom come with costs measured in blood and silence. But faith and relentless duty can turn those wounds into witness.

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“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9

Henry Johnson’s struggle wasn’t just against German bullets—it was a fight for dignity in a fractured nation. From the trenches to his final rest, his service defines what it means to stand firm when darkness invades.

In honoring Sgt. Henry Johnson, we honor all who bear scars unseen, who fight to protect, and who hold fast to hope even when the world forgets.

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Sources

[1] University Press of Kansas, Harlem’s Hellfighters: The African-American 369th Infantry in World War I by Stephen L. Harris

[2] The New York Times, “Army Awards Medal of Honor to WWI Hero Henry Johnson,” 2015

[3] National Archives, Medal of Honor Citation—Henry Johnson

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