Edwin I. Johnson – Sergeant, United States Army

SERGEANT EDWIN I. JOHNSON was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Christian I. and Charlotte Johnson of 231 Brooks Avenue, Magnolia, New Jersey. His father was a machinist at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard in Camden and Edwin Johnson had also been employed there, as an apprentice electrician. He had graduated from Haddon Heights High School in 1935.

After being inducted into the United States Army on February 27, 1942, Edwin Johnson was assigned to the 83rd Chemical Battalion, at Fort Stewart Georgia, with several other men from Camden County. He also received training at Camp Gordon Georgia and the Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland, headquarters of the US Army Chemical Corps. After going overseas in April of 1943, he participated in the invasion of Sicily and the landings at Salerno, Italy.

On January 26, 1944 Edwin Johnson was one of several hundred American troops aboard the LST-644, approaching Anzio during the amphibious invasion then taking place. The LST-644 struck a mine, and was sunk, taking several hundred American soldiers and British sailors to their deaths. Sergeant Johnson was able to escape the sinking ship, but was mortally wounded, and died as a result of his injuries. He was 26 years old when he met his end.

Sergeant Edwin Johnson was returned to the United States after the war ended, and he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in the spring of 1949.

American Legion Edwin I. Johnson Post 370 on North Warwick Road Magnolia, New Jersey 08049 is named in his honor.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard