The Courage of Henry Johnson, Harlem Hellfighter in World War I

Dec 30 , 2025

The Courage of Henry Johnson, Harlem Hellfighter in World War I

Blood pooled beneath rain and mud.

Sergeant Henry Johnson stood alone, battered, bleeding—but unbroken. The enemy pressed closer, shadows clawing at his unit’s line in the dead of night. It was more than survival. It was redemption wrapped in gunfire and grit.

The Roots of a Warrior

Born in the rural backwoods of Albany, New York, Henry Johnson was no stranger to hard soil and hard work. A son of poor parents, his early life was stitched with struggle—and a quiet, unshakable faith.

He joined the New York National Guard’s 15th Infantry Regiment, later absorbed into the famed 369th Infantry Regiment—the Harlem Hellfighters. A unit forged in fire and segregation, but unmatched in valor. Henry was a man who believed in more than just the fight—he believed in purpose.

“Be strong and courageous,” he might have whispered to himself from Joshua 1:9—the promise tattooed into his spirit before the guns ever spoke.

The Battle That Defined Him

May 15, 1918. France. Near the village of Chaillevois.

A German raiding party slipped through the night, wolves seeking to tear apart the American lines. Sergeant Johnson and Private Needham Roberts were on sentry, isolated on a narrow outcrop of the frontline trenches.

Gunfire erupted.

Johnson grabbed his rifle, then grenades, then his bolo knife—any weapon, any edge. What followed was a brutal close-quarters fight—hand-to-hand, flesh to steel. Despite his wounds, including shattered ribs and a head injury, he fought relentlessly through the darkness.

He reportedly killed multiple enemy soldiers and drove off the raid—alone. He saved his comrade’s life and possibly the lives of dozens more.

“He fought with a daring and unflinching spirit,” a commanding officer later noted in award documents. “His actions embody the highest traditions of military service.”

Johnson endured over 20 wounds, yet refused to surrender until reinforcements arrived. That night became legend—two men standing unyielding in a hailstorm of bullets. His courage was the line.

Recognition Written in Blood

For decades, recognition came slow, stifled by the bitter gall of racism.

Johnson earned the French Croix de Guerre with a Gold Palm—France’s highest honor for heroism in combat. French soldiers called him “Black Death” for his ferocity.

But the U.S. military brushed aside his valor for years.

In 2015—97 years later—the Medal of Honor was bestowed posthumously upon Henry Johnson by President Barack Obama, finally sealing his place among America’s greatest heroes[1].

“Henry Johnson displayed exceptional valor, selflessness, and sacrifice that inspire us all,” President Obama said during the ceremony.

His story embodies the blood and sacrifice of the forgotten—the men who wore the uniform and faced fire, who fought without fanfare and waited too long for justice.

Legacy Carved in Steel and Soul

Today, Sgt. Henry Johnson stands not just as a symbol of battlefield ferocity, but of enduring redemption.

His scars, both visible and invisible, remind veterans and civilians alike that courage carries a cost. That faith in honor must outlast prejudice. That a single soul can turn the tide in the darkest hour.

He is a testament to sacrifice beyond race and time. A warrior who answered his nation’s call, forged in battle and faith.

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful…” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Henry Johnson’s fight was never just against bullets or bayonets. It was a fight to claim dignity and light amid the darkest wars. His legacy charges us all: to stand firm when the night comes, to fight for the forgotten, and to carry forward the torch of valor with honor and heart.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History + Medal of Honor Recipients - World War I 2. National Museum of African American History and Culture + Henry Johnson: Harlem Hellfighter 3. The Guardian + “Henry Johnson: The ‘Harlem Hellfighter’ who fought alone and won a Medal of Honor” 4. Congressional Medal of Honor Society + Henry Johnson Citation