106-Year-Old Pearl Harbor Survivor Reflects on History

On the day of the Pearl Harbor attack, Freeman Johnson was working far below deck, repairing one of the boilers on the USS St. Louis. Johnson, who turned 106 in March, did not witness the surprise bombing. From his position, he couldn’t hear the antiaircraft guns firing or see the torpedo planes attacking. By the time he reached the deck, the St. Louis had navigated past midget submarines and safely left for open waters.

“While all the pandemonium was occurring on deck, I was inside a steam drum,” said Johnson, who resides in Centerville, Massachusetts. His home displays photos of his Navy service, including images of the St. Louis and him as a young sailor, accompanied by Navy challenge coins and ribbons from his travels. He still owns his military ID tag, known as a dog tag. Even when the St. Louis sailed into the Pacific, Johnson, whose role was a fireman on the ship, learned little about the attack. “We were way out to sea, with no land in sight, just ocean,” he said. “I wasn’t an officer, and they only told us what we needed to know, which was nothing.”

When speaking to children at schools, Johnson often faces questions about whether he was scared that day. “You’re not scared; you’re too busy,” he replied. “Besides, you don’t see anything to be afraid of.”

Oldest Living Survivor

Johnson became the oldest survivor after the passing of World War II Navy veteran Ira “Ike” Schab in December at age 105. With Schab’s and Clarence Lane’s deaths, only 11 Pearl Harbor survivors remain, out of over 2,400 troops who perished in the attack. The U.S. commemorates its fallen service members on Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday of May. Annually, Pearl Harbor survivors are honored at a remembrance ceremony at the attack site.

During the 50th anniversary event in 1991, about 2,000 survivors attended. Numbers have dwindled, with only two making the trip in 2024, from an estimated 87,000 troops stationed on Oahu on the day of the attack. Last year, none attended the Hawaii remembrance.

Increased Recognition

For much of his life, Johnson shunned the spotlight and rarely spoke about surviving Pearl Harbor. Being one of tens of thousands of sailors at the event, he didn’t feel special. However, as the oldest survivor, he gained local celebrity status and has become a prominent figure in recounting World War II’s impactful events.

Johnson celebrated his 106th birthday in style, arriving in a limousine and surrounded by media cameras. He receives global letters and is frequently hailed as a hero in public. Despite health challenges, including hearing loss and needing a walker, he vividly recalls wartime details. At 19, fearing the draft, Johnson chose the Navy over the Army, perceiving it as less physically demanding. “I didn’t want to walk from France to Germany,” he said.

Witness to Historic Events

Johnson’s service memories focus less on battles and more on his ships’ historical roles. He helped commission the USS Iowa and remembered its November 1943 mission to transport President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Tehran Conference with Winston Churchill and Josef Stalin.

During the war’s conclusion, Johnson was on the Iowa’s mast, witnessing surrender ceremonies in Tokyo Bay aboard the USS Missouri on Sept. 2, 1945. “I saw boats bringing Japanese escorts onto the ship; it marked the war’s end,” he recalled. “We celebrated, ready to go home.”

Telling the Pearl Harbor Story

His daughter, Diane Johnson, often supports him. They live together and participate in Pearl Harbor remembrance events. Johnson’s growing recognition began as Diane corrected local reports claiming no survivors remained in the state, aiding his appearances at commemorative activities like the Cape Cod St. Patrick’s Parade.

“I wish more were like him today. He carries on without complaint, representing an era defined by dedication to the country,” noted Desmond Keogh, parade chairman. Despite attention to Pearl Harbor, Johnson doesn’t dwell on it as life’s pivotal moment. That distinction goes to his post-war marriage and family life, followed by his work until retiring from a machinist shop, convenience store, and meal delivery at age 90.

“Pearl Harbor just happened,” observed Johnson. “It’s as simple as that.”