By Matthew Grimley
Black History Month is a time to celebrate some of our nation’s bravest, most valiant historical figures. This month we wanted to do something special. This isn’t about one person, but rather, many lionhearted men. Despite oppression, they went above and beyond the call of duty and became one of the most famous regiments in history. Here’s the story behind the 369th infantry regiment, or as they’re most commonly known, the Harlem Hellfighters.
One night, William Henry Johnson was in a trench during the Argonne Offensive. Suddenly, he began to hear clicking noises, only to see Germans cutting the trench’s barbed wire. It was a nighttime raid. Fearing for his life, Johnson grabbed his shovel and prayed. By the time the sun came up, he managed to single handedly fight off an entire German platoon. However, as an African American, his impressive feat of bravery would not be recognized by the US military until 1996. He became the first American to receive the “Croix de Guerre”, one of the highest honors awarded in the French military. He was one of the “Harlem Hellfighters”.