Fallen Pearl Harbor sailor's story comes full circle
WESSON - In the crowd that filled Wesson Cemetery and stretched down the road to a hillside, there were only a handful of people there who had ever even met U.S. Navy Petty Officer Jim Johnston, if that many.
Still, hundreds of people turned out from all over the state to say farewell to the man given up by his family as lost at Pearl Harbor 75 years ago. He was laid to rest a full three-quarters of a century after his death, after DNA technology allowed the government to identify his remains, which have been in a mass grave in Hawaii until last year.
On Wednesday, history was unfolding for Wesson, and whether it was spoken as such among those gathered there, the recognition of the event's significance was palpable.
High school students crowded the lawn that overlooks the cemetery in order to watch the service and pay respects from afar. Wesson residents of all ages crowded the area near the grave, just to be close to their town's own fallen hero. Dozens of Patriot Guard Riders with their flags stood almost as sentries over the proceedings.
Solemn sailors lined the road as his casket was unloaded, took great care to fold the flag from his casket, and Rear Admiral Carol M. Lynch presented the flag to Johnston's nephew, Frank Springs, who held it to his chest as the ceremony continued.
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Gov. Phil Bryant's voice was emotional as he addressed the crowd, but primarily Springs.
"I’m here today to represent the citizens of the state of Mississippi. Young men and women now have answered the call of battle for generations, and over 75 years ago, Jimmy answered that call," Bryant said. "Today he’s home. Back in Mississippi with family and friends. We have no doubt that for 75 years now he has walked the streets of glory, and he has sailed calm, peaceful seas. We dedicate here today his mortal remains at his final resting place. Jimmy Johnston and all those who were lost on Dec. 7, 1941, will never be forgotten."
As the ceremony closed, Springs stood with one hand on his uncle's casket and as the crowd started to disperse, his voice paused their departure.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let me say something to each of you, especially you young men and women who are representing the Navy here today. I thank you so much for what you’ve done and for making this happen. And for the men and women of Wesson, Mississippi, thank you so much for being out here today to welcome Jim Johnston, one of your own," he said. "Thank you to the Patriot Guard, who has been so honorable and so steadfast in making this happen. Thank you to those men and women. I’m sure as I stand here trying to remember things I’ll forget somebody, but this is one of the most momentous occasions of my existence, and I thank you all for being here this morning. I thank you all for showing honor to my uncle. I just appreciate it."
Springs said afterward that he had no way of knowing what a moving event it would be for him prior to the funeral.
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"You can’t prepare for anything like this. This is over and above anything I could have imagined. I expected to bring him home and bring him to Wesson and put him down here with his parents and his brother, but this outpouring of affection is more than anything I can comprehend," he said.
Frank Springs' son, Lee Springs, remembered growing up hearing about his great-uncle. The situation was surreal for him, too.
"This is a blindside. We’ve been to Hawaii and looked for his name on the wall when I was 12, I grew up very aware of my Uncle Jim and where he died. This is just unreal, almost. I don’t even know what else to say," he said.
Frank Springs said he was around three years old when his uncle was killed, but he had always heard stories of the fun-loving, happy-go-lucky sailor who was liked by everyone. The few people left on earth who knew him remembered that firsthand.
"He was a redhead, and he was freckle-faced and had green eyes," said Jessie Anna Puryear, 99, who went to high school with him and was unable to attend the funeral. "He was not very tall but he was a fun-loving kid. I’ll never forget how he looked. He was always laughing, he had a big family. I still remember the house where he lived. I was so happy when I read about Jim. He was so cute. Everybody loved him."
Retired Lt. Commander George Mercier, who attended the funeral proudly wearing a dark blue cap with "NAVY" emblazoned on it in gold, was four years older than Johnston, and was friends with his sister. He said he and Johnston joined the Navy around the same time. Mercier served for five years, and said he "went in before Pearl Harbor and didn't get out until the Japanese surrendered."
He remembers hearing of Johnston's death, and the shock wave it sent through the community.
"We went into mourning," he said. "He was the first casualty of the war from Wesson."
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In addition to the governor, District 39 Sen. Sally Doty, R-Brookhaven, Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Cindy Hyde-Smith and District 92 Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, were also in attendance. Doty said even though Johnston died years ago, he's still a part of the Wesson community.
"In a community like this, it’s still family almost because we’re close knit, and it’s such an honor to welcome this young man home who gave his life for all of us," Doty said. "It’s an incredible feeling of community and shows what’s right about our country."
"I think the support you’re seeing here today, this is the support America has for the military," said Wesson Mayor Alton Shaw.
When the USS Oklahoma went down, 429 people died. The wreckage of the ship was righted and salvaged in 1943, but it was too damaged to repair. The hulk sunk for the final time in a storm en route to the San Francisco Bay in 1947.
Contact Therese Apel at tapel@gannett.com. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.