Nov 15 , 2025
Sergeant Henry Johnson, Argonne Hero Awarded Medal of Honor in 2015
Sgt. Henry Johnson bled alone beneath a hail of German bullets and grenades, but he did not fall. The night air ripped by gunfire, yet he stood—wounded, exhausted, facing death head-on. He was a wall between a raiding party and his fellow soldiers. A single man holding the line with a rifle in one hand and a bolo knife in the other. This was no myth; this was raw courage carved into the mud of the Argonne Forest.
The Roots of a Warrior
Born in 1892, in the rural hills of New York, Henry Johnson grew up wrestling hardship in a country divided by color and opportunity. A son of the Hudson Valley, his resolve was forged in sweat and labor. He carried a quiet faith with him—an unyielding belief in justice, in fighting the good fight. His hands might have been rough and calloused, but his heart held a sacred command: to protect those who cannot protect themselves.
Johnson's code wasn't born out of glory but out of necessity. The Army gave him a purpose, a brotherhood, and a mission. The 369th Infantry Regiment—the Harlem Hellfighters—was a unit steeped in pride and resilience, fighting not only Germany but the relentless scourge of racism at home and abroad.
The Battle That Defined Him
On May 15, 1918, the mesh of war constricted tight in the Argonne Forest. German raiders advanced under cover of night, aiming to crush the American outposts. Sgt. Johnson and Pvt. Needham Roberts found themselves the target of a close-quarters assault.
What happened next reads like a testament to brutal tenacity. Despite being shot multiple times and shrapnel cutting his flesh, Johnson fought—fierce and unrelenting. He used his rifle to keep enemies at bay, then drew his bolo knife when the fight came within inches. He jabbed, he slashed, he killed and kept killing—all while protecting Roberts from being captured or killed.
Johnson's wounds were horrific, and yet somehow, he survived hours in the hellscape of the forest. His actions stopped the German raid dead in its tracks. He saved his unit from destruction. His courage, raw and undiluted, echoed across trenches and battle lines.
Recognition Hard Earned
Henry Johnson did not receive the Medal of Honor during his lifetime. The politics of the era and the color of his skin delayed the full recognition he rightfully earned. Yet, his bravery did not go unnoticed.
He was awarded the Croix de Guerre by France, with a silver star—one of their highest honors, citing his extraordinary heroism and self-sacrifice in the face of overwhelming odds.[1] His name inspired the Harlem Hellfighters and countless others.
It wasn’t until 2015—nearly a century after his valor—that the United States Congress posthumously awarded Henry Johnson the Medal of Honor. President Barack Obama presented the medal to his surviving family, correcting a historic wrong.[2]
“He risked his life for his fellow soldiers without hesitation,” said Robert Edsel, author and military historian tasked with restoring Johnson’s legacy. “He fought a war abroad, and a war at home against prejudice. His story is one of sacrifice and profound courage.”
Enduring Legacy
Henry Johnson stands as a symbol of resilience and redemption. His story is not just about one man’s fight; it’s about a nation's failure to honor its heroes in real time. It’s about scars—visible and invisible—and how warriors carry those wounds through history.
The Psalm echoes for him:
“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me.” (Psalm 23:4)
His fight was not just against bullets and bayonets, but a fight for dignity and recognition. His legacy demands we face uncomfortable truths while honoring the sacrifices made.
Veterans who fight with honor, who sacrifice beyond measure, bear wounds that society often overlooks. Sgt. Henry Johnson’s actions remind us that courage lives in dark, lonely places—and redemption can come through truth finally told.
In honoring his memory, we commit to a promise: no act of valor fades into silence, no service goes unremembered. The blood spilled in foreign fields calls us to bear witness, to protect, and to never forget.
Sources
[1] French Military Archives, Award Citation – Croix de Guerre, 1918 [2] The White House, Medal of Honor Ceremony, June 2015
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