Heroic Soldier's WWI story told in digital comic

By Eric Durr, New York National GuardJuly 6, 2020

NY National Guard Soldier's WWI story told in digital comic
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. Henry Johnson a New York National Guard Soldier who was awarded the Medal of Honor Posthumously for his actions during World War I attacks a German Soldier in these panels from a "digital graphic novel" about Johnson released by the Association of the United States Army. Johnson, who worked as railroad porter in Albany, N.Y. was a member of the New York National Guard's 369th Infantry. He was awarded a heroism medal by the French Army, which the 369th fought with, but did not receive the United State's highest honor until 2015. (Photo Credit: Courtesy Association of the United States Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
NY National Guard Soldier's WWI story told in digital comic
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. Henry Johnson a New York National Guard Soldier who was awarded the Medal of Honor Posthumously for his actions during World War I attacks a German Soldier with a bolo knife in this panel from a "digital graphic novel" about Johnson released by the Association of the United States Army. Johnson, who worked as railroad porter in Albany, N.Y. was a member of the New York National Guard's 369th Infantry. He was awarded a heroism medal by the French Army, which the 369th fought with, but did not receive the United State's highest honor until 2015. (Photo Credit: Courtesy Association of the United States Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

LATHAM, N.Y. – Sgt. Henry Johnson, the Albany resident whose World War I service in the New York National Guard’s 369th Infantry Regiment was recognized with the Medal of Honor almost a century later, is now the subject of a digital comic.

The 11-page comic tells the story of Johnson’s actions on May 14, 1918.

Johnson and Pvt. Needham Roberts were on outpost duty when a German raiding party attacked their position out in front of the trenches. The two Americans fought back with grenades and rifle fire, and when Roberts was knocked unconscious and the Germans tried to carry him away, Johnson attacked them with his bolo knife.

The 369th had been fighting with the French Army and Johnson was the first American to receive the French Croix de Guerre with a golden palm, France’s highest award for bravery. But the Medal of Honor eluded him until 2015 when it was presented posthumously by President Barack Obama.

The 369th Infantry was an African-American regiment in a segregated Army. The unit fought under French command because no American commander wanted them.

They went on to become one of the most decorated units in World War I.

NY National Guard Soldier's WWI story told in digital comic
New York Army National Guard Sgt. Henry Johnson, circa 1919. Johnson was part of the 369th Infantry Regiment, the Hellfighters from Harlem, who fought under French command in WWI as an all-black combat unit. Johnson received the French Croix de Guerre for his actions in defending his outpost and his comrade Needham Roberts on the night of May 15, 1918. (Photo Credit: Courtesy the NYS Military Museum) VIEW ORIGINAL

The Henry Johnson digital comic is the sixth produced by the Association of the United States Army, known as AUSA for short, which focus on recipients of the Medal of Honor.

Other comics deal with the late Sen. Daniel Inouye, who earned the Medal of Honor serving with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a Japanese-American unit, during World War II, and Lt. Audie Murphy the most decorated Soldier in American history who also served in World War II.

The other online books tell the stories of Sgt. Alvin York, who served during World War I, Staff Sgt. Roy Benavidez, a Vietnam War veteran, and Staff Sgt. Sal Giunta, who fought in Afghanistan.

The online comics are being released as part of AUSA’s effort to educate the public about the role of the Army.

Johnson is the only National Guard Soldier to be documented so far by the series.

The next two comics will feature Dr. Mary Walker, a Civil War surgeon and the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor, and Cpl. Tibor Rubin, a Holocaust survivor who later fought in Korea.

The Henry Johnson book was produced by a team of professionals whose other products have included Spiderman, Superman, Batman, Wolverine and X-Men titles.

NY National Guard Soldier's WWI story told in digital comic
Command Sgt. Maj. Louis Wilson of the New York Army National Guard accepts the Medal of Honor on behalf of World War I Sgt. Henry Johnson, who served with the 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the Harlem Hellfighters, at the White House, Washington, D.C., June 2, 2015. (Photo Credit: Lisa Ferdinando) VIEW ORIGINAL

The short book focuses on the incident for which Johnson was eventually awarded the Medal of Honor, but also includes short summaries of his life before the war when he worked as a porter at the train station in Albany, and his speaking tour after World War I.

The final panel depicts former New York Army National Guard Command Sgt. Major Louis Wilson receiving the medal on behalf of Johnson, from Obama at the White House on Nov. 9, 2015.

The Henry Johnson digital comic can be seen at https://www.ausa.org/johnson.

Related Links

Medal of Honor: Sergeant Henry Johnson

Army.mil: Worldwide News

Army.mil: African Americans in the U.S. Army

For more National Guard news

National Guard Facebook

National Guard Twitter