Known as "Black Death,"
Known as "Black Death,"
Henry Johnson was one of the most heroic American soldiers of World War I. Despite his lack of experience and training, he agreed to help the French Army with sentry duty in the Argonne Forest. And it wasn't long before Johnson and a fellow American soldier, Needham Roberts, were brutally attacked by German snipers.
Henry Johnson was one of the most heroic American soldiers of World War I. Despite his lack of experience and training, he agreed to help the French Army with sentry duty in the Argonne Forest. And it wasn't long before Johnson and a fellow American soldier, Needham Roberts, were brutally attacked by German snipers.
Despite enduring 21 wounds, Johnson fought back, killing four enemy soldiers and injuring up to 20 others. He also saved Roberts from being taken prisoner. Perhaps most impressively, Johnson almost single-handedly stopped the Germans from breaking through the French line. Indeed, he fought with such valor that the French awarded him the Croix du Guerre, the country's highest military honor. But when he returned to America, he was not officially recognized for his bravery at home — and he didn't even receive a disability pension.
the stunning life and tragic death of Henry Johnson, the Harlem Hellfighter who was nearly forgotten by history
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