Henry Johnson's World War I Valor and Medal of Honor

Oct 29 , 2025

Henry Johnson's World War I Valor and Medal of Honor

Night swallowed the French woods, but Henry Johnson burned like a torch in the dark. There, in the chilling dawn of May 15, 1918, alone and wounded, he threw back a murderous German raid—his hands fists, his voice a roar in the night. His body torn, his breath ragged, he fought with a furious, unbreakable will to save the lives of his comrades. The enemy would not pass. Not on his watch.

Blood and Soil: Humble Beginnings

Henry Johnson was born in 1892 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, but it was the streets of Albany, New York, that forged his steel. The son of righteous faith and unyielding resolve, Johnson grew up steeped in the values of grit and God. He knew pain was inevitable—what mattered was how you met it, not how it met you.

Johnson’s faith was a quiet presence, a compass through hardship. A devout Christian, he saw his duty not only as a soldier but as a guardian of hope. His faith was armor, lending strength amid the storm of war. Like David facing Goliath, he believed the fight was bigger than himself.

The Battle That Defined Him

The harrowing 77th Infantry Division was known as the “Lost Battalion,” a team of predominantly African American National Guard soldiers thrust into the deadly thicket of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Johnson was assigned as a sentry on a frigid night near the French village of Bon Homme Farm.

Under cover of darkness, a German raiding party slipped through the mist, aiming to overrun the unit and kill every man. When the alarms sounded, Johnson made a choice that's been etched into legend—he didn’t retreat.

With a rifle in one hand and a bolo knife in the other, Sgt. Johnson tore into the enemy ranks in brutal hand-to-hand combat. Reports show he fought through multiple wounds—slashes to the head, chest, and right arm—yet kept carving his way forward. His actions delayed the German raid and prevented a disastrous surprise assault against his battalion.

Johnson reportedly killed at least four enemy soldiers with the knife alone. When his rifle jammed, his fists hammered a soldier to death. He sustained over 20 wounds in that firefight but would survive, his resolve unshaken.[1]

Valor Etched in Bronze and Words

For decades, Henry Johnson’s heroism sank behind the color line, dimmed by the relentless racism of the era. The military initially awarded him the Croix de Guerre, France’s highest combat honor, but America hesitated.

It wasn’t until 2015—nearly a century later—that Sgt. Henry Johnson received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award, posthumously bestowed by President Barack Obama. The citation reads:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a sentry during an enemy raid, Sgt. Johnson’s fearless combat actions saved the lives of the remaining members of his unit.”—Medal of Honor Citation, 2015[2]

Former Secretary of the Army John McHugh said of Johnson:

"He was a soldier’s soldier who earned the right to be a symbol of the valor and courage of the entire Buffalo Soldier legacy."

His story now bursts into classrooms, museums, and memorials. But it was the brutal reality of that night—the blood, sweat, and grit—that carved his place in history.

Enduring Lessons from a Relentless Warrior

Henry Johnson teaches us courage isn’t loud, it’s relentless. It’s a quiet choice to stand when the darkness presses. It’s faith in something greater when the body fails.

His scars tell stories not just of combat wounds, but of a nation slow to honor its heroes. Yet, he persevered—his legacy a testament to the truth that valor recognizes no color, no bounds.

“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

Johnson gave everything in that muddy trench in France. He fought for his comrades, his country, and the future of a people too long denied. His life reminds us that redemption from war is not just survival—but fighting for justice in its aftermath.

Sgt. Henry Johnson’s story is not one of myth—it’s blood and bone, carved in the unforgiving soil of war. He stands as a guardian flame for all who face darkness, proving that even in the deepest night, a single soldier’s courage can change the course of history.

Sources

1. New York State Military Museum + Veterans Research Center, “Henry Johnson and the Harlem Hellfighters” 2. The White House Archives, “President Obama Awards Medal of Honor to Henry Johnson,” 2015