Charles Johnson, 80, of Carrier Mills and formerly of McLeansboro, died on Monday, February 17, 1997 at the Veteran's Hospital in Marion.
Mr. Johnson was born on June 1, 1916, in McLeansboro, a son of Dr. Charles Wilson and Vada Davis Johnson. He was a retired U. S. Navy veteran and a veteran of World War II.
His naval career consisted of many episodes revealed in his frequent letters in the Times-Leader in the 1940's and 1950's. Among the highlights were President Roosevelt's sponsored Goodwill Tour around South America in 1939 on the USS Quincy, one of the first ships equipped with radar; experiences on PT boats 103 and 105, such as seeing Lt. John F. Kennedy's PT 109 sunk by enemy action and laying down a smoke screen and pulling PT 108 to safety; serving one night as a fill-in engineer on PT 113 when it was strafed and burned, causing him to spend three months in a New Caledonia hospital; and Operation High Jump in the winter of 1946-47, with Admiral Byrd on a trip to Antarctic and the South Pole.
Graveside services were held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 20, 1997, at the Vetern's Cemetery in McLeansboro. Rev. John Lee Jr. officiated. Arrangements were made by Gholson's Funeral Home. Military rites were given by American Legion Post #106.
He is survived by two brothers, Solly Wilson Johnson of Lawton, Oklahoma and John Wilford Johnson of McLeansboro; three sisters, Christine Felty of Champaign, Vada Fay Carson of Memphis, Tennessee, and Helen Sue Johnson of Grayville; several cousins, nephews, nieces, great-nephews, great-nieces and many other relatives in Hamilton County and Southern Illinois.
He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant sister, Alice Johnson; and two brothers, Val B. Johnson and Herbert H. Johnson.