Needham Roberts
African-American recipient of the Purple Heart medal
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The basics
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| Intro | African-American recipient of the Purple Heart medal | |
| Places | United States of America | |
| was | Soldier | |
| Work field | Military | |
| Gender |
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| Birth | 28 April 1901, Trenton | |
| Death | 18 April 1949Newark (aged 48 years) |
The details
Biography
Needham Roberts (April 28, 1901 – April 18, 1949) was an American soldier in the Harlem Hellfighters and recipient of the Purple Heart and the Croix de Guerre.
World War I
While on guard duty on May 14, 1918, Roberts and private William Henry Johnson fought off a 24-man German patrol, though both were severely wounded. Both were awarded the Croix de Guerre for their actions, as well as a posthumous Purple Heart. Johnson received the Medal of Honor in 2015.