MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2018 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Younger, Moran, Michel, Parker, Jolly, Barnett, Blackwell, Burton, Caughman, Clarke, Frazier, Jackson (11th), Jackson (15th), McMahan, Seymour
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION SALUTING THE GALLANT SERVICE OF WORLD WAR II VETERAN JOSEPH R. JOHNSON WHO SERVED WITH GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON'S 3RD ARMY.
WHEREAS, the men and women who served in the military during the great conflict, World War II, are known as the "greatest generation" because of their monumental accomplishments for our country. We pause to pay tribute to a member of that generation, Joseph R. Johnson, who served with the famous General George S. Patton's 3rd Army at the Battle of the Bulge in Germany in December 1944; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Johnson was a Private First Class during the war. They tried to raise his rank, but he refused because he was so young, 17. He was born in Goodway, Alabama, but calls Columbus, Mississippi, home. He was a member of the American Legion; and
WHEREAS, until recently Mr. Johnson would not speak of his experience in the War. He now states that he was an eyewitness to WWII history. His story is one of heroic self-sacrifice enlisting in the United States Army at the young age of 17:
At the age of 17, he was a small-town country boy from Alabama who had witnessed two of his older brothers drafted for WWII. Love of family and love of country led him to plead with his parents to sign for him to enlist. Joseph said he knew in his heart that God would protect him and began his journey on October 14, 1943. After all his training was completed, he landed in Scotland and shipped out for South Hampton around June 3, 1944. Joseph said that while traveling through the English Channel and passing the White Cliffs of Dover, they were continually fired upon and that reality set in fast. They were loaded onto the boats all night and were too afraid to sleep. The next day they were to unload onto Omaha Beach, Normandy. In a few short months, he had gone from a small-town farm boy out into the world and it was a scary feeling. He was deployed onto the beaches of Normandy with the 5th Wave of troops under General George S. Patton's 3rd Army. Joseph wanted to make General Patton proud. He tells of so much death you could barely stand it. The single-most powerful thing he remembered was how many wounded and dying soldiers he heard asking for their mothers. He was present in four theaters. He went from Omaha Beach to Marcel, France, and then headed to Germany. His unit came to the Siegfried Line (East Germany, West France) June 30, 1944. He received an injury to his left leg from a German 88 shell. His unit then went into Germany crossing the Rhine River. This is where he shot down an American plane, a P-51 Mustang, sent in by the 8th Air Force. Americans were attempting to kill them because they did not know they were Americans. General Patton ordered the troops to Bastogne, Belgium, where he participated in the Battle of the Bulge on Christmas Day, 1944. General Patton told them that the Germans had thrown a counter attack. With the 82nd Airborne, they killed or captured 222,000 German soldiers. His unit then headed to Berlin. After the war was over, he was assigned to the CIA to take Polish citizens back to their country. After hostilities were over, he was ordered home. He said the troop ship had bad weather all the way home but that when he passed the Statue of Liberty he was happy and proud to be home; and
WHEREAS, Private First Class Johnson is the recipient of four Bronze Stars and in 2013 was one of several veterans who was awarded France's Legion of Honor Medal in Jackson, Mississippi, for his bravery 69 years ago. It is France's highest decoration and is presented to Veterans of World War II who fought and risked their lives in major battles on French soil. The Legion of Honor is designated by the French President to those who have served their country above and beyond the call of duty. The French Legion of Honor Medal was created in 1802 by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte to recognize those who have rendered eminent services to the Republic of France or who have demonstrated exceptional courage, bravery and a spirit of sacrifice beyond the ordinary, particularly in the military domain. Recipients of this honor are designated by the President of the Republic of France; and
WHEREAS, we can never repay our debt to these veterans and their families, but we must do what we can, with all that we have, to live our lives in a way that pays tribute to their memory. We should not pause and remember to thank our veterans only on Veterans or Memorial Day, we should do it every day:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby salute the gallant service of World War II Veteran Joseph R. Johnson who served with General George S. Patton's 3rd Army, and extend our thanks for his historic service.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Joseph R. Johnson and his family, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.