Sergeant Harold I. Johnston was born March 9, 1892 at Kendell, Kansas. During World War I he served in Company A, 356th Infantry, 89th Division.
His moment came near Pouilly, France, on November 9, 1918. Then still a Private First Class, Johnston swam the Meuse River to secure information about the location of the enemy. This he accomplished in spite of drawing heavy fire from the enemy. Having succeeded in his mission, he swam back across the river, again under heavy fire.
Johnston died August 28, 1949, and is buried in Fairmount Cemetery at Denver.
For a little more information about Sergeant Johnston, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_I._Johnston
Blair Tarr
Blair Tarr is the Museum Curator of the Kansas State Historical Society. He oversees the three-dimensional collections of the Society, but has special interests in the Civil War, Wichita-made Valentine diners, and Leavenworth's Abernathy Furniture. In the last few years he has also done a lot of cramming on The Great War. He is a past president of the Kansas Museums Association and the Civil War Round Tables of both Kansas City and Eastern Kansas. He is currently a board member of the Heritage League of Greater Kansas City.
Please note that Johnston was one of “Pershing’s 100”: http://www.kansasww1.org/pershings-100/