S is for Soldiers - William Henry Johnson
- Harlem Time Trotters
- Mar 22
- 2 min read
Recap of S is for Soldiers episode of the Harlem Time Trotters
The Mission: Help William Henry Johnson learn his combat drills.
Year: 1917
Who was William Henry Johnson?
Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a soldier in World War I, was born on July 15, 1892, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He enlisted in the army on June 5, 1917, and was assigned to the segregated 369th Infantry Regiment. His unit faced discrimination, leading to their assignment with the French army, which provided better opportunities. He died on July 1, 1929, in Washington, D.C.
He stood 5-foot-4-inches, weighed 130 pounds, and enlisted in the Army on June 5, 1917.
On the night of May 15, 1918, Johnson’s courage went down in history when he nearly single-handedly killed four German troops and wounded ten to twenty others, stopping them from approaching the main French line and saving his fellow soldiers in the process.
Posthumously, he was awarded the Purple Heart (1996), Distinguished Service Cross (2002), and Medal of Honor (2015).
Sgt. William Henry Johnson - Medals
Who were the Harlem Hellfigthers?
The courageous Harlem Hellfighters, originally the 15th New York Colored Regiment, became the renowned 369th Regiment in New York City after a challenging three-year journey. Despite lacking recognition and proper training, these brave individuals displayed remarkable courage in World War I.
They fought for 191 days straight under fire, never losing any ground or having soldiers taken prisoner, and successfully recovered men who were briefly captured.
December 1, 1918 — The French government awarded the Croix de Guerre to 170 individual members of the 369th Regiment for bravery.
In 2003, the New York State Department of Transportation renamed the Harlem River Drive as the “Harlem Hellfighters Drive.”
To learn more about William Henry Johnson and the Harlem Hellfighters, check out their lessons on www.HarlemRoots.com.
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