Feb 07 , 2026
Henry Johnson's Valor at Argonne Forest, Saving a Comrade
Bloodied hands clutch the stone wall, enemy fire ripping flesh and bone. Sergeant Henry Johnson stands alone—no bullets left, no hope left—still fighting. A dozen German soldiers close in, but he moves like a force possessed.
From the Streets of Albany to the Trenches of France
Henry Johnson was born in 1892, Albany, New York. A son of modest means, he grew up working hard, wrestling with hardship. A Black man in a country that already marked him second-class, his dignity forged in the quiet fires of perseverance. When America entered The Great War in 1917, Johnson answered the call—not just to fight an overseas enemy, but for a chance to prove his valor against the bitter racism back home.
His Christian faith was a whispered steel in his spirit. Church hymns and scripture told a tale of redemption and justice far beyond the muddy fields of Europe. Ephesians 6:13 was a quiet mantra: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” That armor would be tested beyond any man’s breaking point.
The Battle That Defined Him
In May 1918, Sergeant Henry Johnson served with the 369th Infantry Regiment—the Harlem Hellfighters—an all-Black unit assigned to the French Army. The night of May 14 in the Argonne Forest changed everything.
A German raiding party crept through the darkness, set to kill and capture his unit’s aid station. Johnson was on guard duty. The attack was sudden and savage.
Despite being severely wounded by bayonet and bullet, he fought back with a grenade in one hand and his bolo knife in the other.
He reportedly killed at least 12 enemy soldiers and wounded many more—single-handedly repelling the raid and saving his comrade, Needham Roberts, who had already been stabbed and shot multiple times.
Johnson never stopped. Bleeding from a dozen wounds, he kept firing an extra rifle he had picked up and used his edges to fight razors close.
His tenacity bought time to send reinforcements, breaking the German advance.
Recognition Deferred, but Not Denied
Henry Johnson earned the Croix de Guerre with a special citation from the French government—the first African-American soldier so honored in WWI.[1] The French called him “Black Death.”
America? For decades, official recognition stalled. Racial prejudice obstructed justice in medals and memoirs.
It was not until 2015, nearly a century later, that Johnson was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama.
His citation reads:
"While on night patrol, Sgt. Johnson and Pvt. Roberts were attacked by a superior force of German soldiers. Sgt. Johnson engaged them with grenades, rifle fire, and a bolo knife, thwarting the enemy advance despite multiple wounds. By his extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, Sgt. Johnson saved his comrade’s life and enabled his unit to repel the raid."
Commanders and comrades alike remembered his grit:
“Henry Johnson showed what a soldier’s courage truly looks like—undaunted in darkness, relentless against death.” — Col. Charles Young, fellow officer.
The Legacy Carved by Blood and Spirit
Johnson’s story is not just of bravery but of enduring injustice—and triumph.
He fought a two-front war: one against an enemy force in Europe, the other against the bitter venom of systemic racism at home. His sacrifice calls us to remember that valor transcends color and circumstance.
Scars of battle run deep, but deeper still are the wounds left by prejudice and silence.
His life whispers to every veteran who has stood against all odds, who has shed blood for a country that hesitated to honor them. It reminds us that redemption has a price—and courage is its currency.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9
Henry Johnson’s name is now etched into the annals of American heroism—not by happenstance, but by sacrifice sharpened to a razor’s edge. His fight was never just for survival. It was for legacy. For dignity. For truth.
His shadow still walks the battlefields—calling us to stand firm, to fight for justice, and to honor those who wear their scars like badges of undying faith and fierce love for the fallen brother beside them.
Sources
1. Center of Military History, U.S. Army—“Croix de Guerre award, Sgt. Henry Johnson, 1918” 2. National Archives—“Medal of Honor Citation, Henry Johnson, 2015” 3. Douglas W. Mastriano, “Harlem Hellfighters: Black Soldiers in World War I” (Stackpole Books, 2014) 4. NPR, “After Decades, Henry Johnson Awarded Medal of Honor,” 2015
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