Washington man’s family receives overdue WWII medals
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, right, presented World War II medals to the family of the late Warren Wendell Johnson, from left, Johnson’s daughter, Judy Kent, and his son, Jeff Johnson, along with Johnson’s wife, Diana.
Judy Kent, left, and her mother, Carolyn Johnson of Washington, hold the medals that Kent received on behalf of her father, the late Warren Wendell Johnson, for his service in World War II during a ceremony earlier this summer in Rhode Island.
A closeup of the World War II Victory Medal that was awarded to the family of the late Warren Wendell Johnson for his service in the U.S. Navy.
Carolyn and Warren Wendell Johnson
Warren Wendell Johnson served his country well, and now, the United States is returning the favor.
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, recently presented Johnson’s family with overdue military medals that he earned but never received for his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
“At long last, on behalf of a grateful nation, I am honored to present the Johnson family with the military service medals and recognition Warren earned, but never received,” said Reed, the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services committee. “Mr. Johnson’s service was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Navy and reflects great credit upon himself, his family and our nation.
“I am proud to play a small role in helping members of the greatest generation receive the honors they earned. It is important that we continue to recognize what our veterans have done for this country, and on behalf of my fellow Americans, I offer Mr. Johnson our sincere thanks and admiration.”
Attending the ceremony and accepting the medals on behalf of their father, who died Dec. 21, 2013, in Washington, were two of his three children, Judy Kent of Wakefield, R.I., and Jeff Johnson, along with his wife, Diana.
Johnson’s son-in-law, Jack Kent, previously worked in Reed’s office, and said, “I saw the impact the medals had on families of the men who served,” noting that only 3 to 4 percent of WWII veterans are still alive. That’s why Kent suggested that Johnson’s family receive the medals that were due him.
“For children and grandchildren to see the sacrifices that were made, it really serves as an inspiration,” said Kent, adding that a lot of military personnel failed to receive their medals after the war.
“They gave up so much,” he said. “They just wanted to get their uniform off, get a job and get a family.”
A native of Minneapolis, Minn., Warren Wendell Johnson joined the Navy on July 1, 1943, and served with distinction in World War II as a midshipman and engineer officer aboard the USS Saturn, a cargo ship.
For his service in the war, Johnson was awarded the American Theater Ribbon European African Middle Eastern Campaign, the European Theater Ribbon with Bronze Star and the WWII Victory Medal.
“Warren was a very quiet man, and he was very intelligent,” said Carolyns Johnson, 94, who resides in Washington. “He was just a dear soul.”
Mrs. Johnson said her husband was awarded the Bronze Star after he survived a torpedo attack.
“He was in the Atlantic in a convoy delivering food,” she said. “The convoy was not going to make it to Iceland, so he left the convoy. Then he heard a big crack. It was a torpedo. It was a miracle he survived. I gave him a big hug when he got back.”
Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in mining and engineering from Michigan Technological University before joining the military. After serving his country, Johnson returned to the United States. He worked in York and Pittsburgh before he and his wife settled in McMurray when he landed a job with Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania.
The couple later moved to a retirement village in Washington so they would have more time to pursue travel, visit family and friends, volunteer and participate in activities at First United Methodist Church in Washington.
Johnson was an avid sailor and enjoyed many sailing trips to the Chesapeake Bay area, British Virgin Islands, Lake Michigan and Adriatic Sea off the coast of Albania.
But there is one trip to the Adriatric Sea in 1986 that really made an impression on Mrs. Johnson.
“We had quite an experience. We hit a terrible, terrible storm. The engine quit, and the sail broke,” she said. “Albania was closed at that point for 43 years. They would not let anybody in or out. I said ‘Lord, I don’t know how we got in this situation, but if you will get us out, I will do whatever you want.'”
An Albanian cruise boat happened upon the Johnsons’ boat and asked them to leave. When they said their motor had quit, the Albanian crewmen radioed their capital and were told to tow the boat ashore.
Once they arrived, Mrs. Johnson said men in black came onto the boat and asked why the Johnsons were there.
“We said, ‘You pulled us in,'” said Mrs. Johnson, adding that, before long, they were all swapping stories about their children and their countries.
“We traveled all over the world,” Mrs. Johnson said. “We had such a nice life.”