Rese As trenches were separated by no man's land and protected with barbed wire soldiers often cut through the wire quietly in pursuit of the enemy WAR HEROES Johnson and Roberts survived the attack and immediately became war heroes Their stunning victory against the Germans grew even more legendary when
Major Arthur Little investigated the combat site the next day A trail of blood easily showed where the Germans had fled Major Little found a variety of enemy equipment including bandages torn clothing 40 enemy grenades three automatic pistols and seven wire cutters This evidence plus the fact that the Germans issued one wire cutter for every four men led Little to conclude Johnson had single handedly defeated at least 28 men Some officials thought the number might be as high as 40 The story quickly spread as US reporters wired the news back to the states Former president Theodore Roosevelt said YOUNG BLACK JOE Johnson was one of the five bravest Americans to serve in World War I 2 In recognition of such bravery the French government awarded Johnson and Roberts the Croix de Guerre France's highest military honor These soldiers were White writer Irvin S Cobb helped spread the tale of Johnson's stunning battle Published on August 24 1918 Cobb's story Young Black Joe appeared in popular magazine the Saturday Evening Post A southern writer Cobb had a reputation for portraying blacks in racist terms Nevertheless in Young Black Joe Cobb praised the black regiment They were soldiers who wore their uniforms with a smartened pride who were jaunty and alert and prompt in their movements and who expressed sincere heartfelt inclination to get a whack at the foe Cobb's story brought Johnson national media attention and was widely reprinted in black papers 1e first two Americans ever to receive such an honor and Johnson's medal included the Gold Palm an even more prestigious award given for extraordinary valor or courage The entire French force fighting in the area lined up for the award
ceremony Ultimately Johnson and Roberts entire unit 171 officers and men were awarded the Croix de Guerre for their 191 days of continuous service on the war front a record for US forces in World War I THE FIFTEENTH NEW YORK NATIONAL GUARD Johnson and Roberts were two of the nearly 380 000 African Americans who served in World War I They were part of an all black unit made up of men primarily from New York particularly Harlem The unit was created as the Fifteenth New York National Guard and renamed the 369th US Infantry when it joined with the French Fourth Army to fight in France But the unit's Johnson proudly wears his Croix de Guerre
HENRY JOHNSON 1897 1929 Nicknamed Black Death Henry Lincoln Johnson was born in 1897 in Alexandria Virginia Johnson left home as a teenager ultimately getting a job as a porter at Union Station in Albany New York On June 5 1917 he enlisted in the Fifteenth New York National Guard After fighting off a German attack on May 15 1918 Johnson and fellow soldier Needham Roberts were awarded the Croix de Guerre France's highest military honor They were the first two Americans ever to receive such an honor Johnson was promoted to sergeant just before his release from the army After the war Johnson gave promotional speeches for the army but the long term physical and emotional effects of the war took their toll His injuries made him unable to return to his work but because his paperwork hadn't recorded his injuries he was given neither disability pay nor a Purple Heart medal Johnson died in 1929 at age 32 In 1996 President Bill Clinton awarded Johnson the Purple Heart The US Army awarded Johnson the Distinguished Service Cross for bravery in 2003 On June 2 2015 President Barack Obama awarded Johnson the Congressional Medal of Honor the country's top award for bravery 97 years after Johnson earned it n
