Page 52 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Fall 2021 - Online Magazine
P. 52
Dick Johnson Communications
in Korea
by Jelaine Workman
and he took that
opportunity.
At the beginning
of his tour, he was
a message sender.
He liked the job
and soon moved
into the radio
communications
team, which
required him to
also be part of the
wire crew, laying
out lines and
climbing poles
to install wires
to connect the
communications.
Part of the
job of the
eople who have served this communications
great nation generally had team was to help organize the
Pa specific job during their USO shows. Dick was in charge
tour of duty, each important and of keeping the stage warm. Even Dick had to quickly call in a cease
interdependent on others. Dick though there were heaters on fire to stop the friendly fire.
Johnson joined the Marines in the stage, the temperatures were
1953 during the Korean War. As frigid, and, often, an entertainer On one occasion, the company
many Marines did, he went to got sick. However, that wasn’t houseboy, who was about 12 – 13
San Diego, CA for boot camp, the worst challenge the years old, said he would draw
then on to Camp Pendleton communications team faced. Dick’s picture. He did so, and
for combat training. It was Dick said it was a great drawing.
there that he had a chance to On July 27, 1954, the base camp He asked the boy for it, but the
go to communications school, got a radio call that there were boy would not give it to him.
problems, so Instead, he drew a second one for
some of the Dick to send home. Later, the boy
team headed was caught crossing the line and
to the base to was shot as a North Korean spy.
help. While He had been drawing pictures
there, a cup of the soldiers and keeping a
was knocked journal to hand to the Korean
off a ledge in army.
a bunker. It
sounded like a Dick was born to Lloyd and
shot, and that Katherine Johnson on May
caused the 13, 1935. He attended several
men inside to schools in Amarillo where his
begin shooting. father, Lloyd, was a Coca Cola
52 Amarillo Senior Link
