Henry Johnson's Valor at Argonne Led to a Medal of Honor

Dec 03 , 2025

Henry Johnson's Valor at Argonne Led to a Medal of Honor

Henry Johnson was bloodied, outnumbered, but never broken. Under a rain of bullets and bayonets, he fought like a cornered lion, holding the line alone. His desperate, savage bravery turned the tide of disaster that night in the dark forests of the Argonne. It cost him his body—and broke a long silence that history almost wrote over.

Rooted in Honor and Faith

Born in 1892 in Winston-Salem, New York, Henry Johnson grew up in the shadows of Jim Crow segregation, carrying a weight no young Black man should bear. But inside him burned a stubborn flame—a code of respect honed by Harlem’s grit and a steadfast faith that refused to let the world define his worth.

He enlisted in the 15th New York National Guard, later known as the Harlem Hellfighters. The unit wasn’t welcomed with open arms. Jim Crow was overseas, too. Yet Johnson held his ground, shaped by a discipline that echoed Psalms and Proverbs, where courage met humility.

“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

His faith was armor as much as his uniform.

The Battle That Defined Him

It was May 15, 1918. The Argonne Forest, dark and foreboding, churned with the beast of war. Johnson and his comrade, Needham Roberts, were on sentry duty when a German raiding party struck with brutal surprise. The enemy intended to kill and capture.

Johnson, armed with a rifle, a pistol, and a bolo knife, fought back with unmatched ferocity. Even after multiple wounds—bullet and bayonet piercing flesh and bone—he refused to fall. He hurled grenades, fired repeatedly, and slashed through the enemy.

Despite his injuries, Johnson protected Roberts, shooing off attackers and turning private death into salvation for his unit. Reports say he killed four enemy soldiers and wounded many more, forcing the Germans to retreat.

Bloodied and near collapse, he made it back with scars only courage could carve.

Recognition Long Overdue

For decades, Henry Johnson’s heroism was a whisper lost in the roar of history. The valor of Black soldiers rarely pierced the racial barriers of early 20th-century America. It wasn’t until June 2, 2015, that Sgt. Henry Johnson received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration—a full century after his fight.

His Silver Star and Purple Heart bore witness long before, but the Medal of Honor acknowledged his wrought sacrifice.

Colonel David Hunt, one of Johnson's commanders in the 369th Infantry Regiment, described him as:

“A man who fought like a tiger and never gave up.”

President Barack Obama, awarding the medal, called Johnson:

“An American hero whose legacy continues to inspire.”

Johnson’s courage wasn’t just valor—it was a mirror held to a nation’s divided soul.

Legacy Etched in Blood and Salvation

Henry Johnson teaches warriors, civilians, and nations alike the cost of true courage—it is not the absence of fear, but the choice to stand firm in the face of it.

His story pulls us back from glorified myths. War is raw, brutal, and sometimes, redemptive. Johnson fought with faith and ferocity because he believed something bigger than himself demanded it. His scars are not just wounds; they are badges of a fight against injustice, ignorance, and erasure.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:13

Johnson laid himself down—not to die—but to save, to defend, and to leave a legacy of unyielding sacrifice. His battle cry echoes still.

In the end, Sgt. Henry Johnson’s story is salvation carved in gunpowder and blood. For every veteran who bears scars unseen and unheard, for every citizen seeking courage beyond comfort—remember him. He held the line when the world demanded more than valor. He held it with faith, fury, and unbreakable will.

This is what it means to fight and to live—truly live—in the ashes of conflict.

Sources

1. National Archives + “Henry Johnson: Harlem Hellfighter Hero” 2. U.S. Army Center of Military History + Medal of Honor Citations, WWI 3. Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture + “The Harlem Hellfighters” 4. The White House Press Release + Obama Medal of Honor Ceremony, June 2, 2015