Veterans Memorial Association to unveil Medal of Honor during ceremony next month

POCATELLO — The Veterans Memorial Association will hold the long-awaited unveiling ceremony for Pocatello's only Medal of Honor recipient next month.

Miguel Dominic, historian of the Veterans Memorial Association, said Sgt. James E. Johnson's daughter, Stephanie Johnson, is coming to the Gate City on Nov. 1.

The unveiling ceremony start at 5:30 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Building on 300 N. Johnson Ave. on Nov. Saturday, Nov. 2.

"She is flying in from Texas so she can see her dad's Medal of Honor at the museum," Dominic said. "He's Pocatello's only Medal of Honor recipient."

Dominic said James Johnson served during the Korean War. He left not long after his daughter was born. He was killed in action and was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.

"He was last seen mortally wounded while defending his friends," Dominic said. "His body was never recovered."

Johnson, a member of the U.S. Marine Corps who served in the Korean War, was posthumously awarded the nation’s highest decoration for his heroic lone fight on Dec. 2, 1950, in which he covered the withdrawal of his platoon during the bitter Chosin Reservoir campaign in Korea, according to the Marine Corps University website. When last seen by his comrades, he was mortally wounded but still engaging the enemy. He was declared missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950 and then listed as killed in action in November 1953.

“Vastly outnumbered by a well-entrenched and cleverly concealed enemy force wearing the uniforms of friendly troops and attacking his platoon’s open and unconcealed positions, Sgt. Johnson unhesitatingly took charge of his platoon in the absence of the leader and, exhibiting great personal valor in the face of a heavy barrage of hostile fire, coolly proceeded to move about among his men shouting words of encouragement and inspiration and skillfully directing their fire,” Johnson’s Medal of Honor citation reads. “Ordered to displace his platoon during the fire fight, he immediately placed himself in an extremely hazardous position from which he could provide covering fire for his men. Fully aware that his voluntary action meant either certain death or capture to himself, he courageously continued to provide effective cover for his men and was last observed in a wounded condition single-handedly engaging enemy troops in close hand grenade and hand-to-hand fighting.”

Dominic spent two years trying to get a replica of James Johnson's Medal of Honor from the federal government to put on display at the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building. There were a lot of hurdles that he had to get over in order to have it sent to Pocatello.

"It had to be in a bulletproof case, it had to be in a locked room," Dominic said. "It's here in the building, so we're going to unveil it."

Another thing that will happen at the unveiling ceremony is that Stephanie Johnson will take a DNA test. Dominic said there is a chance that Johnson's remains have been found.

"Her dad's remains could be in the Punchbowl (National Cemetery) in Hawaii," Dominic said.

Dominic said he looks forward to the chance to unveil the Medal of Honor with Stephanie Johnson in attendance. He said she has come before for events at the building and looks forward to seeing her again.

"She gets to see that her dad's memory is still alive in Pocatello," Dominic said. "How great would it be to see the Medal of Honor and a tribute to him on the wall."

In addition to Stephanie Johnson, there will be other special guests attending. Dominic said representatives from Senator Mike Crapo's office will also be at the unveiling ceremony.

"They were instrumental in helping us get the Medal of Honor to the building," Dominic said.

More information about the Veterans Memorial Association can be found on their website at bc-vma.org.