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William Henry Johnson

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military2 years ago•7 min saved

Fort Polk renamed in honor of Black WWI hero

Fort Polk, an Army base in Louisiana named after a Confederate general, has been renamed Fort Johnson in honor of Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a Black soldier who received the Medal of Honor almost a century after his heroic actions during World War I. The renaming is part of a $62 million project to remove Confederate names and monuments from Army bases. Johnson's bravery prevented a dozen German soldiers from capturing his fellow soldier, and he was praised by American poet Langston Hughes and Theodore Roosevelt Jr. for his actions. The renaming is a small step towards inclusivity, but more needs to be done to address racial inequities in the military.

via The Washington Post|

#confederate-names #fort-johnson #fort-polk

military2 years ago•7 min saved

Fort Polk renamed in honor of Black WWI hero Sgt. William Henry Johnson

Louisiana's Fort Polk has been renamed Fort Johnson in honor of Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a Black World War I hero. Johnson's actions on the front lines in France earned him the nickname Black Death during his lifetime and a posthumous Medal of Honor nearly a century later. Johnson and his comrade Pvt. Needham Roberts became the first U.S. soldiers to receive the Croix du Guerre — France's highest military honor — as a result of their actions, and later returned home as national heroes.

via NPR|

#fort-johnson #medal-of-honor #military

military2 years ago•2 min saved

Fort Polk renamed in honor of Black WWI hero Sgt. Henry Johnson.

Fort Johnson, a U.S. Army base in Louisiana, has been renamed after Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a Black hero of World War I who received the Medal of Honor nearly a century later. The renaming is part of the U.S. military’s efforts to address historic racial injustice. Johnson fought off a German night raid near the Argonne Forest, was wounded 21 times, and prevented a wounded Black comrade from being taken prisoner. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 2015. The renaming of nine Army posts marks the first time bases will be named after Black soldiers and women.

via POLITICO|

#fort-johnson #medal-of-honor #military