Being a Marine is always a part of Pop-Pop

By Kelcy Dolan
Posted 11/12/15

I always knew Pop-Pop was a Marine; it was just as much a part of who he was as being my grandfather.

Ken Johnson jokes that he’s not home when I visit, preaches nothing is worth doing if it …

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Being a Marine is always a part of Pop-Pop

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I always knew Pop-Pop was a Marine; it was just as much a part of who he was as being my grandfather.

Ken Johnson jokes that he’s not home when I visit, preaches nothing is worth doing if it doesn’t put a smile on your face, and he has served not only our family, but our country as well.

When I was younger, my mother would mention he had been in the military, and when I visited my grandparents home I could see the shadows of his time in the service, memorabilia with the Marine insignia and a photo of my Pop-Pop as a young man in uniform above their fireplace. After high school, when several of my friends enlisted in the Marine Corps, I knew Pop-Pop would make a point to speak with them. Whenever we go out as a family he is a service magnet, immediately attracting others who have served in the military at some point in their lives.

Despite appearing to be common knowledge, his time in the service wasn’t something we often talked about and it wasn’t something he brought up either.

That is, until my younger cousin, Michael Ferris, enlisted in the Marine Corps after high school in 2013. My grandfather was happy to see one of his grandchildren enlist. My cousin has since been promoted to corporal and served a tour in the Middle East.

“If he was going to join the service I was happy to see he joined the Marine Corps,” he said.

He traveled to see my cousin’s graduation from boot camp in South Carolina.

“The base itself was a lot different than I remembered, but watching around 500 graduates, one of them my grandson, in the same parade I had once been a part of, I won’t lie, it brought tears to my eyes,” he said.

During his graduation in 1952, my grandfather’s platoon, was the “Post Honor” Platoon, performing better than the others in the graduating class.

Johnson joined the Marines when he was 20 years old on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th, 1952, the “tail end” of the Korean War, and spent the day in his brand new olive green uniform.

After completing basic training at Parris Island, he continued on to Cherry Point, North Carolina and then Jacksonville, Florida for airmen prep school. He spent four months in Pensacola, Florida getting qualified for both aerial and combat photography. He was sent to California as part of a helicopter outfit and was shipped to a small village in Japan with the 2nd Air Wing 2nd Division.

During his time in Japan, there was a ceasefire in North Korea for a prisoner exchange. It wasn’t until after the exchange had went well that my grandfather was told had it gone awry he would have been involved in an invasion of Korea just below the Chinese Border.

In 1954 he was released from active duty as a corporal. He was torn, considering whether or not to reenlist and even possibly making his career in the Marine Corps.

Thankfully for me, he rejoined the workforce and went back to college with “the help of Uncle Sam,” but admits there were many times where he wished he had stayed in.

Although, he didn’t remain in the Corps, his time in the service had a strong influence on my grandfather; he continues to keep in touch with friends from the Corps and even attends a dinner on the Marine Ball every year, November 10.

These are small ways to keep connected with the Corps for my grandfather and a means of “reliving” the camaraderie he experienced while in the Marines.

He said, “We meet up and share stories. I think in any branch of the military you feel a strong connection to those who serve with you.”

More than anything he believes the Marines helped him become disciplined and enhanced his decision making skills.

“It was such an important part of my life,” he said. “I think some of the principles was already part of my nature, but they were really engrained into me through the Corps. I don’t regret a single moment of my service.”

My grandfather has seen a lot of changes since he was in the military, mainly development of new technologies, but is proud to say that the military is still, “first and foremost dedicated to the defense of this country.”

For that, especially in times when veterans are having a hard time readjusting to civilian life, my grandfather believes both the American government and its people have a responsibility to provide for vets coming home, to thank and honor them for their service.

“Whether it’s a short time served or someone’s made a career in the military, it is a entirely different life when your in taken away from friends and family,” he said. “This country I think owes veterans at least their thanks and their patience.”

As a veteran, he is proud to have served this country as a Marine and doing his part in defending the nation.

Even if he never bragged, never pointed out his military history, the pride that my Pop-Pop had for serving his country was always evident; it was common knowledge. The family never had to brag or point out my grandfather’s military history because our pride in him was always obvious; it is common knowledge.

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