FORT JOHNSON, La. — The Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson hosted a memorial dedication ceremony Jan. 13 at Warrior Memorial Park to honor Sgt. William Henry Johnson. A monument, which commemorates the sacrifices Johnson made to the country, was unveiled.
In June of 2023, Johnson was also celebrated at a historical redesignation ceremony when the installation was rechristened Fort Johnson.
Johnson, who enlisted in the U.S. Army as part of the 369th Infantry Regiment in 1917, is renowned for his heroic performance in World War I.
In 1918, while on watch in the Argonne Forest, Johnson successfully fought off a 24-man German raid. Despite suffering 21 wounds in the midst of battle, Johnson defeated multiple enemy soldiers while aiding in the rescue of fellow Soldier Pvt. Needham Roberts.
After the war ended, and because of his courage and selflessness in the face of adversity, Johnson was bestowed a Croix de Guerre by France. He would later be posthumously awarded the Purple Heart in 1996 and the Medal of Honor in 2015.
As the community of Soldiers, civilians, leadership and elected officials sat awaiting the historic reveal, JRTC and Fort Johnson commanding general Brig. David W. Gardner expressed a few words of his own.
“I am proud to command one of the only, if not the only, bases named after an enlisted Soldier,” said Gardner. “This monument stands as a symbol of our enduring gratitude and serves as a reminder of what we do at this special place which has been so important in America’s history — we forge the warrior spirit.”
Louisiana State Rep. Chuck Owen, added what the memorial unveiling meant to him.
“It’s a wonderful moment for someone to be recognized for something that was lost on history,” said Owen. “For someone of this level of heroism to finally be commemorated, both with word and a monument, says a lot about the American spirit, the U.S. Army and the bravery of Johnson himself.”
The ceremony concluded with Gardner personally thanking five Soldiers from the 46th Engineer Battalion who assisted in building the monument.
A special JRTC and Fort Johnson coin was awarded to Chief Warrant Officer David Hatcher, Staff Sgt. Jared Mitchell, Sgt. Darius Smith, Spc. Brandon Sheehan and Spc. Vladislav Bobkov.
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