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A significant tribute to a genuine American hero is underway, as Fort Polk, Louisiana prepares to change its name in honor of New York National Guard Sgt. Henry Johnson, a celebrated World War I hero. The renaming ceremony is scheduled for June 13 at the military post, marking a historic moment of acknowledgment and respect.
Previously named after Confederate Gen. Leonidas K. Polk, the Army installation will be henceforth known as Fort Johnson. This military establishment, home to the Joint Readiness Training Center and the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division, is ready to embrace a name that reflects the courage, dedication, and resilience demonstrated by Sgt. Johnson.
Henry Johnson, before enlisting in the New York National Guard’s segregated 15th New York (Colored) Infantry Regiment in June 1917, worked as a porter at Albany’s Union Station. Two months after the U.S. entered World War I, Johnson enlisted and went on to become a national symbol of bravery. On the night of May 15, 1918, he courageously fought off a German raiding party single-handedly with a knife, saving his fellow soldier, Needham Roberts, from capture.
The 15th New York later became the 369th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Harlem Hellfighters, recognized for their fierce combat skills. For his gallant actions, Johnson was awarded the French Croix De Guerre, becoming the first American to receive such recognition from the French military. However, it was not until after his death in 1929 that the U.S. military recognized his valiant service. Johnson was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart in 1996, the Distinguished Service Cross in 2002, and finally, the Medal of Honor in 2015.
The rededication ceremony will be attended by several dignitaries, including Brig. Gen. Isabel Rivera Smith, the New York National Guard’s director of joint staff. “It is a distinct pleasure and honor to represent the New York National Guard in the rededication ceremony of Fort Polk to Fort Henry Johnson,” Smith said. “As a Black American whose bravery wasn’t acknowledged at the time, Sgt. Johnson personified the Army values and was the epitome of strength. As a former member of the 369th Harlem Hellfighters myself, I could not be prouder to be part of this ceremony.”
Renaming Fort Polk to Fort Johnson is part of a broader effort to rename nine Army forts that currently bear the names of Confederate generals. Interestingly, during the World Wars, forts in the North were named after Union Civil War generals, while those in the South were named after Confederate generals.
The Medal of Honor accepted by Command Sgt. Maj. Louis Wilson on behalf of Johnson, since Johnson had no descendants, is held by the New York State Military Museum. The medal will be displayed at Fort Johnson during the renaming ceremony and remain there until August as part of a historical exhibition honoring Johnson.
“Sgt. Henry Johnson embodied the warrior spirit, and we are deeply honored to bear his name at the Home of Heroes,” said Brig. Gen. David Gardner, commanding general of the Joint Readiness Training Center.
From humble beginnings as a porter in Albany, Sgt. Henry Johnson emerged as a hero on the battlefield, embodying the essence of bravery and resilience. His service and sacrifice continue to inspire, and as Fort Polk transitions to Fort Johnson, his legacy will be etched in the heart of the military community for generations to come.
Source: nationalguard.mil
