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the Rest of the Story
The
USS Eldorado, which I was on,
was the flagship for the invasion, with the leaders
responsible for conducting the assault, aboard. There was
continuous watercraft coming and going between ship to shore
as the need arose for the top brass to oversee the progress
of the battle. On D-day + 10, I was granted permission to
land to see if I could find my brother. I could not get
oriented or find directions to the 26th Marine location. I
did find the cemetery, which had already grown very large. I
decided to walk through and started to find familiar names,
and began to feel uncomfortable. I had met some of his
buddies. And I soon found his name amongst the crosses. He
had been killed Feb. 24, 1945. My first thoughts were
concern for the loss my parents and his wife would feel. I
made my way back to the ship, told my buddies and the next
day, a good friend and fellow radioman, Russell C. W. Crom,
went back with me to take the pictures.
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Image taken about 3 March 1945, of
Keith Johnson at brother Donald Johnson burial site
-- 5th Marine Division Cemetery, Iwo Jima, Volcano
Islands. His remains were later returned to the
States.
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Image of
Corporal Donald L. Johnson,
#480704
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Image of 5th Marine Division
Cemetery on Iwo Jima
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Note: A
slightly different account of the same event as told by a
fellow radioman, Russell C. W. Crom. Russell recalls the
event in a bit of a different way. According to Keith,
Russell's memory is better at times. Russell was with Keith
at the time and his version goes something like this
[webmaster comments].
Quote:
"Keith and I
were members of the First Radio Intelligence Platoon and
were assigned to copy the Navy Fox broadcast one night
shift, during the heat of battle, in late February 1945. We
were aboard the Command ship, USS
Eldorado. The Fox broadcasts were important but the
Morse code copying job was about the most boring duty a
radioman could have. It was 5 letter groups at 18 WPM. The
rhythm of machine code was monotonous and we could not keep
our minds off of what was happening on the island. One half
of our platoon was on the island because we had drawn lots
as to which half it would be. Keith and I were safely aboard
ship.
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Two
men were assigned to copy the Fox broadcasts so
that if one person missed a few characters, the
decoders could check the others copy hoping to fill
in any missing text. All of a sudden, Keith threw
off his headset and announced, 'my brother has been
killed' I kept copying code and admonished him to
copy too. He soon complied but was deeply
troubled.
Being
in intelligence we knew which outfits were fighting
ashore and we knew the going was rough, but we were
never in contact with the fighting units as our
main job in intelligence was to copy enemy
transmissions and locate the stations.
But
we were on 4 hours off and 4 hours on, duty during
battle conditions and we rotated assignments from
copying code, decoding, and message
running.
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Image of Keith and Donald Johnson
taken on a visit in Honolulu, Hawii
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Message
running duty was when we got a real picture of what was
going on. Keith had never been in contact with his brothers
outfit all during the Iwo Operation.
The following
week after Keith's premonition about his brother, we went
ashore to take up duty on land. We were being oriented by
our comrades about different things to do when we learned
that our officers had been over ruled by higher authority,
that we were not to swap duties as originally planned. Each
half of the platoon was just beginning to know what we were
doing and the higher authority was right. Thus Keith and I
had a few hours with nothing to do except try and not be
killed before we could get a boat back to the
Eldorado.
Keith wanted
to go to the cemetery for his brother's outfit. We headed
out on our own across the airstrip and past our artillery,
toward Suribachi and found the cemetery. Keith went to the
roster that was posted near the entrance and, sure enough,
there was his brother's name. We went to the grave and
offered our prayers. I had a box camera that my mother had
given me so I took Keith's photo. We still have a copy of
the snapshot. As nearly as we could determine his brother
was killed when he sensed it miles away aboard the
Eldorado.
Russ"
Unquote
It was
difficult not being able to write home about his death. The
censors would not allow it, and I didn't want to be the one
to tell the bad news. So, I waited, writing about
generalities, until I learned they had received the dreaded
news.
I knew Cynthia
before she was married to Don, and she and I had written
occasional letters back and forth. I knew she loved Don very
much, and it would be a loss that she would feel for a long
time. I did feel a sympathy that was deeper than ordinary,
and thought if I wrote to her on a regular basis, it would
fill a small void in her life. As the days passed and the
letters were exchanged, we began to reveal more of our
feelings to each other. I began to think, I should try to
fill a larger void in her life in the years ahead. I know
the thought that I loved her began to take hold in my mind,
before her thoughts of loving me did. As the weeks and
months passed, we were writing every day to each other with
no commitment for what we would do after I returned
home.
The Atomic
Bomb changed every ones life, as it did mine. Within two
weeks I was on my way home, from Maui, Hawaii. There was a
one month furlough, which Cynthia and I spent together, a
month of duty at Philadelphia Navy Yards, mustering out Oct
29, 1945, and home to stay. I was able to persuade Cynthia
to marry me on June 01, 1946, and together we have five
wonderful children, our firstborn son, we named Larry Donald
Johnson, as a living tribute to Don and have been together
56 plus years.
And this is
the end of the story. I married my brothers wife, and still
try not to think of what he missed, as I savor the life he
could not have.
----- Keith W.
Johnson
Itinerary of 1st Radio Intelligence
Platoon
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DATE
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EVENT
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14 Jun 1943
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Activated at Linda Vista camp, Camp
Elliott, San Diego, CA as the 1st Radio
Intelligence Platoon, Signal Company, Amphibious
Corps, Pacific Fleet. (T/O D-529 dated 2 January
1943) Unit to which assigned redesignated during
period of assignment as follows:
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7 Jul 1943
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Headquarters Company, 2nd. Corps
Signal Battalion, FMF
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28 Aug 1943
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Headquarters Company, Signal
Battalion, 5th. Amphibious Corps
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7 Sep 1943
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Reassigned to Marine Barracks, Camp
Elliott, San Diego, CA
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15 Oct 1943
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Reassigned to the 29th Replacement
Battalion, FMF, Camp Elliott, San Diego,
CA.
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28 Oct-14
Nov 1943
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Embarked aboard USS Rochambeau
(AP-63)and transited from San Diego, CA to Noumea,
New Caledonia
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20 Nov 1943
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Reassigned to the Corps Replacement
Battalion, Transient Center, I Marine Amphibious
Corps at Camp St. Louis.
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21-29
Dec.1943
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Embarked aboard USS KINCAID and
transisted from Noumea,New Caledonia to Guadalcanal
B.S.I. and reassigned to theSignal Company,
Headquarters Battalion, Division Support Troops,
3rd. Marine Division, FMF
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30 Dec 1943
2 Jun 1944
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Participated in Consolidation of
Solomon Islands.
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15 Apr 1944
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Reassigned to the Headquarters
Company, I Corps Signal Battalion, I Amphibious
Corps. Unit to which assigned redesignated as the
Headquarters, III Corps Signal Battalion, III
Amphibious Corps on Apr 1944
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3 Jun-
31 Aug 1944
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Embarked 3 Jun aboard USS
Appalachain (AGC-1) at Guadalcanal, B.S.I.
Transisted therefrom on 4 Jun to Eniwetok Atoll,
Marshall Is., arriving thereat at 8 Jun. Further
transited 12 Jun to Mariannas AOA, but returned to
Marshalls Is. on 3 Jul. On 16 Jul further transited
to Guam, Marianna Is., arriving thereat on 20 Jul.
Disembarked 24 Jul and participated in operations
against Japanese forces in the seizure and
occupation of Guam. Embarked aboard USS GEORGE
CLYMER (APA-27) at Guam on 20 Aug and transisted
therefrom to Pearl Harbor T.H., arriving and
disembarking there at on 31 Aug.
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15 Aug 1944
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Reassigned by S/NR to Signal
Company, H&S Battalion FMFPac, Oahu, T.H. Unit
to which assigned redesignated during period of
assignment as follows:
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19 Oct 1944
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Headquarters Company, Provisional
Forcd Signal Battalion, FMFPac
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1 Apr 1945
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Headquarters Company, Force Signal
Battalion, FMFPac
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15 Sep-14 Dec
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Attatched to Pacific Fleet Radio
Unit 128, Wahiawa, Oahu,1944 T.H.
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20 Oct 1944
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Redesignated the 1st. Separate
Radio Intelligence Platoon.(T/O E-538 dated 17
October1944)
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15 Dec 1944
12 Apr 1945
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Attatched to Headquarters, V
amphibious Corps 15 Dec 1944.During period 27 Dec
1044-12 Jan 1945 detatchments of the platoon were
formed and embarked as follows:
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Det. "A"
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Embarked aboard USS ESTES (AGC-12)
on 27 Dec 1944
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Det. "B"
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Embarked aboard USS AUBURN (AGC-1O)
on 12 Jan 1945
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Det "C"
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Embarked aboard USS LENAWEE
(APA-195) on 12 Jan 1945
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Keith W. Johnson's
assignment
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Det. "D"
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Embarked aboard USS ELDORADO
(AGC-11) on 12 Jan 1945.
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At various times and routes closed
on Iwo Jima, Bonin Is., arriving thereat between 16
and 19 Feb. 1945. Participated both afloat and
ashore in operationa against Japanese forces in the
seizure and occupation of Iwo Jima. Embarked aboard
USS PRESIDENT MONROE )AP-104) on 25 Mar, and
transisted 27 Mar to Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Is.,
arriving thereat on 2 Apr. Further transisted from
Eniwetok on 4 Apr to Maui T.H. arriving and
disbarking at Kahului Harbor thereat on 12 Apr
1945. Trained and prepared for invasion of Japan
mainland.
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6 Aug 1945
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Returned U.S.A. about 13 Aug
1945.
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1 Sep 1945
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Reassigned to Signal Battalion, V
Amphibious Corps
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29 Oct 1945
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Redesignated the 1st. Radio
Intelligence Platoon.
Keith W. Johnson: Date of Mustering out of
U.S.M.C.R.
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7 Nov 1945
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Deactivated at Sasebo, Kyushu,
Japan
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Story
received on 28 September 2002
Story placed on website on 11 October 2002
Story updated and modified on 21 October 2002
We are
deeply grateful for the material provided to World War II
Stories -- In Their Own Words, and Iwo Jima Memoirs by Mr.
Keith W. Johnson.
 Now you can read the updates and NEW
information regarding the continuing story of "The Returned
Photo Album".
Keith
Johnson has recently returned an additional item that he had
found on Guam during the invasion. He has returned another
family treasure to yet another family of a former Japanese
soldier.
Keith
Johnson: "The Returned Photo Album"
Keith
Johnson: "The Returned Photo Album" Part
2
Keith
Johnson: "The Returned Photo Album" Part
3
Note: To view images taken by the web
master at World War II Stories -- In
Their Own Words during his year on Iwo
Jima, please click on the following link to my World War
II Stories Photo Album:
WW
II Stories: Iwo Jima Photo Album
1965-1966
Did YOU serve on Iwo Jima?
Did you
know that there is a group of veterans who have gotten
together to form an association of servicemen, no matter
what branch of service, who served at one time or another
starting at the invasion of the island on February 19,
1945 and continuing until the island was eventually
returned to the Japanese in 1968?
Iwo
Veterans Organization
We,
at the Iwo Jima Memoirs web site wish
to offer to Mr. Keith W. Johnson our most profound THANK
YOU for his poignant story of his personal experiences --
during his tour of Iwo Jima and especially for allowing
us to share those memories.
Original story transcribed on 12 November
2007
Did YOU serve
on Iwo Jima?
Do YOU have a story to tell?
Do
YOU have a picture or pictures
that tells a story?
Contact me, Joe Richard and I can help by
adding YOUR story to my site devoted to veterans who
served on Iwo Jima.
Check out my
other web site on World War II. Click on the Image
Below:
If
you would like to E-Mail us, Click on the Image
Below:
© Copyright 2001-2007
Iwo
Jima Stories
All
Rights Reserved
Updated on 20 November 2007...0809:05
CST
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