FORT JOHNSON, La. – More than a century ago, some 150,000 New Jersey residents served in the "Great War" - WWI. Just one stood watch with Sgt. William Henry Johnson, namesake of Fort Johnson, La., which was redesignated in a ceremony June 13.
In May 1918, Johnson of Albany, NY, and Pvt. Needham Roberts of Trenton, NJ, manned their post in trenches along the Western Front. Both sere serving at a time when Black American soldiers rarely went into combat and almost never received recognition.
The 369th Infantry Regiment of the NJ National Guard's fortunes changed when Gen. John J. Pershing directed their reassignment to the French Army.
While on that May, a German raiding party nearly overran the duo's position. But the two Harlem Hellfighters fought back against heavy odds.
Johnson suffered more than 20 wounds as the enemy tried to capture Roberts. Johnson, out of grenades and ammunition, drew his bolo knife and slashed his way through the remaining attackers, rescuing Roberts, and single-handedly eliminated the German squad.
Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, spoke to Johnson’s story of heroism at the ceremony redesignating Fort Polk to Fort Johnson.
“Johnson’s is a story of fearless heroism and the National Guard’s groundbreaking contributions to World War I,” he said.
For their actions, Johnson and Roberts were among the first Americans to earn the French Army’s highest award for valor, the Croix de Guerre avec Palme.
The Naming Commission, established by Congress, identified and recommended redesignating, renaming or relocating more than 1,100 Confederate-named assets, including bases, ships and prominent works of art. Fort Liberty, North Carolina, was also recently redesignated, with the Fort Bragg colors cased June 2. (NJ National Guard 06/15/23)
Fort Johnson is located in Vermillion Parish, about 100 miles east of Leesville. Fort Johnson Renaming Ceremony Hits Home for Jersey Guard > National Guard > Guard News - The National Guard
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