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Show CORA LEE JOHNSON MARCH 6, 2002 probably had studied, he told me he had studied, all his life, seamanship and all. And he said he was given the commander of the Coast Guard base in San Diego, California. And he brought with him, he brought his chef, he brought four that had served with him and commissioned them. BEC: Really? COR: Now that's the kind of a man he was. But he sent me, he said, "I thought you'd be proud to sew this on while you're home so you can show you family." BEC: How nice. COR: Oh, I was tickled. But I'm not sure-I suppose it could be found out-I'm not sure but I always felt like I got the first one. I came back off leave, Commander Snydo was not there. He'd retired and he'd gone home. BEC: And you had no idea? COR: No. But the one that took his place was Lieutenant Cannon, and he's one that he'd brought in for communications officer. And he said to me, Lieutenant Cannon-and they'd given him another rate too-he said, "Johnson," he said, "I want to be as close to you as Lieutenant Commander Snydo was. I know he depended on you to do what was right and when to do it." He said, "I would like to do that." And I shook hands with him and I said, "You can depend on me one hundred percent." When I got ready to be mustered out, they used to give you a point for every year old you are, and a point for every month you served in the service, and they were looking for-you had to have forty-two points to get out. But I got it out on months, not on years. A lot of these older men they got out on years. I remember standing in a chow line once and a chief said to me, "You know, Johnson, I stood in more pay lines than you have in chow lines 42 |
