Henry Johnson’s Valor at Argonne Forest as a Harlem Hellfighter

Feb 21 , 2026

Henry Johnson’s Valor at Argonne Forest as a Harlem Hellfighter

Blood on the wire. The night’s air sliced by rifle cracks. Alone, wounded, fighting mad against a shadow swallowing the front lines. This was Sgt. Henry Johnson.

No man was supposed to hold back that madness. But he did—bare-chested, bare-fisted, driven by something fierce and personal.

Background & Faith: Born to Fight, Born to Believe

Henry Johnson came from Albany, New York, 1892. A son of hard times—hard work, grit, and a faith forged in the embered pews of his family’s church.

He wore his honor like a second skin. A testament to something bigger than himself. His life wasn’t cushioned by comfort, but by conviction.

Johnson enlisted in the 15th New York National Guard—later the famed Harlem Hellfighters, an all-black regiment sent to fight in France when America was still grappling with its own demons at home.

His faith, whispered in the darkness before battle, was a lifeline. Like the psalmist, he clung to this:

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” (Psalm 23:4)

A warrior forged in the crucible of racial injustice, ready to bleed for a country that didn’t fully recognize him.

The Battle That Defined Him: The Raid at Argonne Forest

Night of May 15, 1918. The woods near the Argonne Forest turned into a killing field.

The enemy raided with one deadly goal: destroy the American frontline. Henry Johnson and his comrade, Pvt. Needham Roberts, manned a post—just a two-man perimeter against a German raiding party reportedly twenty strong.

What happened next was the stuff of legends.

Johnson fought without pause. Explosions cracked near. Bullets pummeled his flesh. A grenade blew his face and hands to hell. Yet, he rallied, grabbed an enemy’s own hand grenade, flung it back into the attackers, destroying their momentum.

With his bolo knife and sheer ferocity, he made a killing sweep through the darkness, stopping the raid cold. Roberts, though severely wounded, survived because Johnson refused to fall.

By dawn, the enemy lay dead or retreating. Johnson had taken at least 20 hits—bayonet, grenade, rifle, and knife wounds across his body.

His valor held the line.

Recognition: Honors at Last, Forged in Battle and Time

Despite eyewitness accounts and French accolades—France awarded him the Croix de Guerre with a Gold Star in 1918—America was slow to recognize Henry Johnson’s heroism.

It wasn’t until more than 100 years later, in 2015, that he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama.

The citation reads:

“Sgt. Henry Johnson's extraordinary valor saved the lives of many of his comrades during a surprise enemy raid.”

Brig. Gen. Benjamin Butler once said of the Harlem Hellfighters, “They fought not for white America but for the whole world’s freedom.” Johnson’s fight was personal and universal—pushing through the bias of race, war, and history.

Legacy & Lessons: Courage Beyond the Battlefield

Sgt. Henry Johnson did not just fight the enemy in the trenches. He fought the enemy of doubt and dismissal off the battlefield.

His life reminds veterans and civilians alike: courage knows no color. Heroism does not bow to prejudice. Sacrifice is the language of all who wear the uniform, but few speak of the shadows it casts afterward.

The scars Henry Johnson carried, physical and societal, tell us this: bravery isn’t born in glory moments. It is born in the relentless grind to protect your brothers—even when abandoned by the world you serve.

His story is etched not only in medals but in the heartbeats of those who fight silent wars against injustice—the wars within and outside.

Remember the warrior who faced death alone and refused to yield. The man bruised by bullets and society but redeemed in valor and faith.

“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)

Sgt. Henry Johnson’s blood still whispers: fight on.

Sources

1. Medal of Honor Citation, Sgt. Henry Johnson, U.S. Army Center of Military History. 2. Harlem Hellfighters by Max Brooks, 2009. 3. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Sgt. Henry Johnson Profile. 4. The Forgotten Hero of World War I, NPR special report, 2015.