[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 22, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H7363-H7364]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE HENRY JOHNSON ANNEX

  Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 480) to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 747 Broadway in Albany, New York, as the ``United 
States Postal Service Henry Johnson Annex.''
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 480

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE HENRY JOHNSON ANNEX.

       (a) Redesignation.--The facility of the United States 
     Postal Service located at 747 Broadway in Albany, New York, 
     and known as the United States Postal Service Carrier Annex, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``United States Postal 
     Service Henry Johnson Annex''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be 
     a reference to the United States Postal Service Henry Johnson 
     Annex.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Ose) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose).


                             General Leave

  Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 480, the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 480, introduced by the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
McNulty), redesignates the Albany postal facility as the Henry Johnson 
Annex. This legislation honors Sergeant Henry Johnson, a hero of World 
War I and a native of Albany.
  Sergeant Johnson was a member of the Army's all-black 369th Infantry 
Regiment, but because black soldiers were unable to fight in American 
combat units overseas, Sergeant Johnson actually fought on the allied 
side under the French flag during World War I. For his incredible valor 
and skill in combat, Sergeant Johnson posthumously earned a Purple 
Heart, a Distinguished Service Cross and even the greatest French 
military honor, the Croix de Guerre.
  Mr. Speaker, one byproduct of the war on terror has been a renewed 
and sincere national appreciation for the sacrifices of the men and 
women in the Armed Forces. This bill, H.R. 480, gives this Congress a 
chance to publicly acknowledge and appreciate a great patriot of 
America's past. Sergeant Johnson was a terrific hero of World War I, 
about whom Americans should never forget.
  I am hopeful that this postal facility will soon wear the name of 
Sergeant Henry Johnson, and I urge the other body to swiftly consider 
H.R. 480. I urge our colleagues to vote in favor.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank our colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
McNulty), for introducing this legislation which was unanimously 
reported by the Committee on Government Reform on September 15. It 
enjoys the full support of the entire New York delegation.
  Sergeant Henry Johnson, an Albany native, served in the U.S. Army 
from June 1917 until February 1919. As an African American, he was 
unable to fight at that time in an American combat unit, and therefore, 
he became part of what was known as the ``Harlem Hell Fighters,'' who 
fought in Europe under the French flag with great courage and 
distinction.
  While on duty, he single-handedly fought off a German raider party of 
more than 20 troops, and despite numerous wounds, he rescued a fellow 
soldier from capture and killed several enemy soldiers. As a result of 
his heroism, as our colleague has indicated, he received numerous 
medals.
  When he returned from Europe to a segregated America, he experienced 
great difficulty and died unrecognized by his own country in 1929. I 
truly believe that it is never too late to reward a person for service 
to their country, and for that reason, I am pleased to join with the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. McNulty) and our other colleagues to 
redesignate a U.S. postal facility in Albany after Henry Johnson.
  I urge swift passage of this legislation.
  Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of our time.
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. McNulty), the author of this legislation.
  Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding.
  On behalf of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. Sweeney) and all of the New York delegation, I am 
proud to support H.R. 480 which designates the U.S. postal service 
facility at 747 Broadway in Albany, New York, as the Henry Johnson 
Annex.
  Henry Johnson was a native of Albany, served in World War I, and was 
an African American who joined the all-black New York National Guard 
unit, the 369th Infantry Regiment, based in Harlem.
  Mr. Speaker, about 400,000 black soldiers served in the Armed Forces 
at that time. Half were sent overseas, and many were stationed in 
France. They were not allowed to serve with white soldiers. They were 
not allowed to fight with American combat units. But the members of the 
369th soon proved themselves. They became known as the ``Harlem Hell 
Fighters,'' and that was not a name they took for themselves. That was 
a name given to them by their enemies.
  No one personified the bravery of the 369th more than Henry Johnson. 
On guard duty on May 14, 1918, then-Private Johnson came under attack 
by a German raider party of two dozen. Despite sustaining 21 wounds, he 
single-handedly fought off the Germans and rescued one of his buddies . 
. . with only a rifle and his bare hands. He became the first American 
of any color--in any conflict--to receive the Croix de Guerre, France's 
highest military declaration.
  His exploits got newspaper coverage in America and throughout Europe. 
He was featured in Teddy Roosevelt's book, ``Rank and File: True 
Stories of the Great War.'' The Army used Johnson's name and likeness 
to advertise for war bonds and to recruit minorities into service.
  Yet, at that time, despite all he had done, Johnson received no 
official recognition from his government. None. That recognition came 
much later.
  After the war, Henry Johnson returned to upstate New York and worked 
on the railroad. He later died penniless on the streets of Albany, New 
York.
  Since integration of the military in 1950, some African American 
service men and women have been recognized for their gallant service. 
Recognition of African Americans prior to integration, alarmingly 
neglected for so many years, had finally begun.
  It was not until 1997, Mr. Speaker, that Henry Johnson was 
posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. I was proud to be there for that 
ceremony. In 2002, his grave was found in Arlington National Cemetery, 
not in the pauper's cemetery outside of Albany where he was believed to 
be buried. In 2003, at the Pentagon, in an official service, Herman 
Johnson, the son of Henry Johnson, a distinguished veteran himself, 
accepted the Distinguished Service Cross, the Army's number two award, 
for his Dad.
  In 2003, Mr. Speaker. Henry Johnson did all of these things in 1918, 
and it took until 2003 to award him the Distinguished Service Cross. 
Many of us

[[Page H7364]]

are still disappointed that despite all of the documentation we have 
given to the Pentagon that he has not received the award that he truly 
deserves, which is the Congressional Medal of Honor.
  Mr. Speaker, today, I want to give public thanks to John Howe, the 
historian of Albany's 369th Veterans Association and all of his 
colleagues who have worked for years and years to get these 
recognitions for Henry Johnson.
  I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) and the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney), both of whom have taken 
leadership positions in making sure that we correct these injustices of 
the past, along with Senators Clinton and Schumer who have been 
stalwart supporters of the effort to award the Congressional Medal of 
Honor to Henry Johnson.
  Mr. Speaker, the cause endures. I thank all of my colleagues today 
for supporting this bill, but believe me, Mr. Speaker, based on the 
record, we should be doing a lot more than naming a post office 
building after Henry Johnson. We have worked hard through the years. We 
got the Purple Heart and we got the Distinguished Service Cross. We 
need to go the final step and obtain the Congressional Medal of Honor 
for Henry Johnson.
  I thank all the members of our New York delegation, and the many 
others in the Congress and across this country for staying with us in 
this battle through the years. In the end, Mr. Speaker, justice shall 
prevail.
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I would just ask that our colleagues to support 
this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Ose) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 480.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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