Sergeant Henry Johnson's World War I heroism and Medal of Honor

Dec 22 , 2025

Sergeant Henry Johnson's World War I heroism and Medal of Honor

Sgt. Henry Johnson didn’t just fight a battle that November night in 1918—he fought against the erasure of his own existence. Under a black sky pierced by gunfire, he became a wall of defiance against a German raid, bleeding with every heartbeat yet never yielding an inch. He was a one-man army born from steel and scars. When the enemy thought they could break him, they found only unbreakable will.

Roots Chiseled in Faith and Fortitude

Henry Johnson came from the hollers of Albany, New York. A son of rural grit, reared in a world where work was salvation and faith a lifeline. His early years were marked by hard labor and tougher lessons in perseverance. His church was a refuge, his faith a silent armor. Baptized in the waters of a promise that no trial could drown him.

When the U.S. called men to the colors in 1917, Johnson enlisted with the 15th New York National Guard—soon redesignated as the 369th Infantry Regiment. The Harlem Hellfighters. An all-Black unit sent to France to bleed and die on foreign soil for freedoms they themselves hardly tasted at home. Johnson went not just for country, but for dignity.

The Battle That Defined Him

In the dense woods near the French village of Argonne Forest, early on May 15, 1918, Johnson’s sentry post came under brutal assault. German raiders, cutting through barbed wire, slashed toward his unit’s bivouac. The attack was ruthless and swift. Soldiers slept; Johnson was the lone bulwark standing guard.

Gunfire erupted. Johnson, armed with nothing but a rifle, a bolo knife, and his unyielding resolve, tore into the enemy ranks. Despite being shot multiple times, he fought hand-to-hand, slashing through the darkness with the blade. His actions bought precious time for his comrades to rally and repel the raid.

Broken ribs, bullet wounds through his arms and torso—he bled out under fire but never faltered. When help arrived, twenty German corpses lay at his feet. Johnson dragged himself back to American lines. His arms nearly severed, his body battered beyond recognition, but alive. A one-man shield holding the line when all seemed lost.

“Henry Johnson was the bravest man I have ever seen,” recalled Lieutenant James Reese Europe, a bandleader turned officer in the 369th. “He stopped a whole enemy attack, singlehanded.”

Honors Earned in Blood and Silence

Johnson’s valor was unforgettable but initially unheralded. In an Army reluctant to recognize Black soldiers, his story simmered in obscurity for decades. Yet, France saw his courage clearly. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre with palm—the first American to receive France’s highest combat honor in World War I.

It wasn’t until 2015, nearly a century later, that the United States posthumously awarded Sergeant Henry Johnson the Medal of Honor. President Barack Obama called Johnson’s bravery a “powerful symbol of the contributions of African American soldiers.” The Medal cited his “extraordinary heroism” for defending his unit at great personal risk, saving lives, and embodying the warrior’s highest virtues.

His official Medal of Honor citation reads in part:

“Sergeant Henry Johnson distinguished himself ... by extraordinary heroism ... in the face of overwhelming odds … he stood his ground against the enemy, protecting his comrades….” [1]

Legacy of Courage, Sacrifice, and Redemption

Henry Johnson’s story is a scar etched upon the collective American conscience—a brutal reminder of what it means to serve in the shadows of prejudice and war. His wounds never fully healed, and his recognition came posthumously, but his spirit never died.

His name now adorns barracks, awards, and memorials. But beyond the medals lies a deeper lesson: Courage is not measured by skin, rank, or the applause of the crowd—it’s forged in the fires of sacrifice and the refusal to surrender to despair.

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusteth in him, and I am helped.” —Psalm 28:7

Sgt. Henry Johnson reminds us that redemption is possible even in the darkest hours. His fight was more than bullets; it was a battle for recognition, dignity, and humanity. Veterans carry his legacy in every wound, every story, every whispered prayer on a cold battlefield.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War I. 2. Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, The Harlem Hellfighters. 3. NPR, “Sgt. Henry Johnson: Harlem Hellfighter Medal Of Honor Recipient,” 2015. 4. Military Times, Valor Awards for Henry Johnson.