Press Release
☷Fort Johnson unveils memorial commemorating namesake
U.S. Army ( By Press Release office)
Jan 21,2024
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Brig . Gen . David W . Gardner , the commanding general of Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson , and Post Command Sgt . Maj . David P . Hanson unveiled the Sgt . William Henry Johnson memorial on January 11th . The ceremony took place at Warrior Memorial Park in Fort Johnson , Louisiana . The monument was dedicated to honor Sgt . Johnson ' s sacrifices for the country . In June 2023 , Fort Johnson was renamed in honor of Johnson during a historical redesignation ceremony . Johnson , who joined the U . S . Army in 1917 as part of the 369th Infantry Regiment , gained recognition for his heroic actions in World War I . Despite sustaining multiple wounds , Johnson successfully fought off a 24 - man German raid in the Argonne Forest in 1918 . He also rescued Pvt . Needham Roberts during the battle . France awarded Johnson the Croix de Guerre for his courage , and he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart in 1996 and the Medal of Honor in 2015 . The unveiling of the memorial was a significant moment for the community , and Brig . David W . Gardner expressed his pride in commanding a base named after an enlisted Soldier . Louisiana State Rep . Chuck Owen also emphasized the importance of recognizing Johnson ' s heroism . The ceremony concluded with Gardner personally thanking five Soldiers from the 46th Engineer Battalion who helped build the monument . These Soldiers were awarded a special JRTC and Fort Johnson coin .
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