Sergeant Henry Johnson and the Harlem Hellfighters' Courage

Oct 22 , 2025

Sergeant Henry Johnson and the Harlem Hellfighters' Courage

Sgt. Henry Johnson stood alone in the gloom, bullets whipping past like death incarnate. Blood ran hot from deep wounds. His rifle jammed. But he didn’t stop. No man was going to break the line—not on his watch. The German raiding party had come in waves, hungry for slaughter. Johnson met them with fury and raw grit. When the dawn cracked the sky, twenty enemy dead littered the trench. Only one man had held the line.

Background & Faith

Born in Albany, New York, in 1892, Henry Johnson knew struggle early. A son of African American parents in a world that too often spat on their worth. He joined the Army’s 15th New York National Guard, the unit that would become the Harlem Hellfighters. Faith grounded him—Psalm 18:39 whispered in his heart amid chaos:

“For You equipped me with strength for battle.”

His code was carved into every step: protect your brothers. Honor the fight. Serve with relentless heart.

The Battle That Defined Him

Night fell on May 15, 1918, near the French village of Apremont. Johnson and fellow soldier Needham Roberts were on sentry duty, silent shadows in no-man’s land.

Out of the darkness, a German raiding party struck. Surprise turned to brutal close-quarters combat. With a rifle that jammed early, Johnson wielded a bolo knife, stabbing, slashing, striking until the enemy staggered back.

Five bullets tore through his body. A grenade exploded near his face. His wounds were grave. But he stayed, drove the attackers from the trench, saved his comrade Roberts, and likely saved his entire platoon from annihilation.

When the fight ended, Johnson was alone among a dozen dead enemies. His actions kept the Hellfighters—and the line—alive.

Recognition

His courage was immediately heralded by his peers. Yet the recognition he would eventually receive took decades. Black soldiers often saw their valor obscured by prejudice.

Johnson was awarded the Croix de Guerre by France, with a citation praising his “reconnaissance and bravery in hand-to-hand combat.” The U.S. awarded him the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross during his lifetime. But the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest military decoration—would elude him until 2015, nearly a century after his sacrifice.

As historian Jerald Podair wrote:

“Henry Johnson represents all African American soldiers denied full recognition.” [1]

Legacy & Lessons

Sgt. Henry Johnson’s story is not just of bullets and blood. It’s about enduring faith amid forsaken brotherhood, about fighting a war abroad and a war at home. His scars—visible and invisible—tell of a man who refused to yield.

His legacy speaks louder than medals ever could: courage counts when the world turns its back. The warrior’s path is carved by sacrifice, by the willingness to stand when everything shouts ‘fall.’

“Though he was wounded and might have yielded, he pressed on.” — Medal of Honor citation

His life presses us to remember that valor does not check color or creed. Redemption lies in bearing scars for a cause greater than self.

In the shadowed trenches and broken fields where men clash, Sgt. Henry Johnson’s spirit still stands watch. Warriors today—scars fresh, hearts burdened—can draw strength from a black soldier who bled not just for nation, but for dignity and justice long denied.

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.” (Psalm 18:2) Johnson’s fight was never just for survival. It was for legacy. For honor. For us all.

Sources

1. University of Massachusetts Press – Forgotten Heroes: The Story of Sgt. Henry Johnson and the Harlem Hellfighters 2. U.S. Army Center of Military History – Medal of Honor Citation, Sgt. Henry Johnson 3. Congressional Medal of Honor Society – Biography and Citation for Sgt. Henry Johnson