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TAPS
Fading light dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky,
Gleaming bright.
From afar drawing nigh,
Falls the night.
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, From the hills,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.
Then good night, Peaceful night,
Till the light of the dawn
Shineth bright,
God is near, do not fear,
Friend, good night. |
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Born:
at Caney Creek, LA
Entered Service in the US
Army from Oakdale, LA
Earned
The Medal of Honor During World War II For heroism December
15, 1944 at Limon, Leyte, Philippine Islands
Died: December
15, 1944
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Sergeant
Johnson was squad leader of a nine-man patrol sent to
reconnoiter a ridge held by a well-entrenched enemy force.
Seeing an enemy machinegun position, he ordered his men to
remain behind while he crawled to within six yards of the gun.
One of the enemy crew jumped up and prepared to man the weapon.
Quickly withdrawing, Sergeant Johnson rejoined his patrol and
reported the situation to his commanding officer. Ordered to
destroy the gun, which covered the approaches to several other
enemy positions, he chose three other men, armed them with hand
grenades, and led them to a point near the objective. After
taking partial cover behind a log, the men had knocked out the
gun and begun an assault when hostile troops on the flank hurled
several grenades. As he started for cover, Sergeant Johnson saw
two unexploded grenades which had fallen near his men. Knowing
that his comrades would be wounded or killed by the explosion,
he deliberately threw himself on the grenades and received their
full charge in his body. Fatally wounded by the blast, he died
soon afterward.
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