HomeMy WebLinkAboutWilliam J. Johnson - Bio
WWII William Johnson
WILLIAM J. JOHNSON
U.S. Army, 755 Tank Battalion
European Theatre -- Purple Heart
WWII Through the Eyes of a Child
I asked my Dad on the 50th anniversary ofWWIIwhere he was 50 years ago and his reply
came quickly, "1 was in a fox hole in Italy. "
On that mid August day in 1945, I can still feel the cold, wet washcloth on my
face as my grandmother "cleaned me up". She changed my clothes so'we could go to the
Methodist church 3 blocks away to worship and give thanks to God for the ending of the
war. Everything was confusing as car and truck horns were blowing as well as sirens and
train whistles. The neighbors were in their years yelling to one another as the news came
over the radio that Japan had surrendered.
Only 4 years earlier on March 15, 1941, a young man of23 years had answered
the call of duty to his country. This man was my father, William J. Johnson. He left his
small hometown of Calvert, Texas. Tears still fill my eyes even today as I look at his
DD214 and read he was widower with one dependant. William, "Bill, had left his 18
month old daughter in the care of his sister. It was hard for him since he had the full
responsibility of caring for me upon the death of my mother. She was 19 years of age
when she died of an illness. .. He was still struggling with her death when he was drafted.
He made arrangements for me for as long as he was gone. The question of his return also
had to be considered. What a sad day in the Johnson household.
My dad served our country faithfully and honorably in the 755 Tank Battalion.
He went to Fort Sam Houston and then on to Fort Knox, Kentucky. After his training he
was shipped out to the European Theater. He fought in 4 major battles. Dad was
seriously injured in April of 1945, just 4 months before Japan surrendered. He spent time
in the hospital but was back on the battlefield as the war came to an end. As a result of
his injuries he received the Purple Heart.
Daddy returned home in July of 1945 to a 6 year old child. As a child I remember
going to the train station in Hearne, Texas to welcome him. My aunt had dressed me in
the finest fashion as we were "going to see my daddy get off the train". Many soldiers
got off and were greeted and embraced by wives and family members. But to my
disappointment my day did not get off the train. We returned home only to be told we
would go back again the next day. Late into the night there was a knock at the door.
There stood my father. He had arrived on a later train and a friend drove him home. I
can remember the excitement and no one slept the rest of the night. All my extended
family had been faithful to keep my dad's memory alive to me. They talked of him often
an showed me pictures. This was instrumental to his homecoming.
After my dad returned home, he rarely talked about the war and his experiences.
However, I know he had deep emotions even though they were never expressed. Ten
years ago on the 50th anniversary of WWII, I called my dad on the phone. I asked him
where he was 50 years ago today and his reply came quickly. "I was in a fox hole in
Italy," he said.
Years went by and dad rebuilt his life. As his daughter, I would like to honor him
for his heroic service and personal sacrifices to his country. It is hard to find the right
words to thank him for being a courageous soldier. I now have had his numerous medals
replaced and framed in his honor. In addition to my personal tribute, I have had his name
placed on the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial. William J. "Bill" Johnson died in 2001
at the age of 82.
Doris Johnson Emshoff (Mrs. Marvin)
August 6, 2005