In observance of Memorial Day, I’m honored to share a memory written by Jean Johnson Gee about her father, Dr. Philip Johnson. This amazing man first enlisted as a soldier to fight in WW1. Then he enlisted again for WW2, and became a Major in the Army Medical Corps. He landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy on D-Day, helping save lives on the front lines of a brutal war. The story of the "War Ham" represents the beauty of hope in difficult times.
As soon as World War II broke out, my father, a general surgeon, volunteered for the army and navy medical corps and joined the army since it responded first. He became a major and was soon told to report to Camp Robinson in Little Rock, Arkansas. Many of our friends were also off to serve their country as well. Mother and Daddy decided to have a large party as a send-off.
The main entertainment of the evening was somewhat unusual. A large Smithfield ham was brought out to the dining room table and everyone gathered around to watch Daddy “cast it” by wrapping it in bandages and coating it with plaster of Paris as if it were a broken limb. Each of the guests was invited to sign the ham and the date of the party was written on the smooth white surface.
The next morning, with great ceremony, Mother, Daddy, Nana, my brothers and I went to the garage and watched while Daddy hung the ham from the rafters. There it stayed for “the duration” as we referred to the time my father was away at war.
At last, one summer day he returned as a retired colonel. It was not long before with equal ceremony the ham was retrieved from the garage. All the names on it were called for a celebratory feast. Miraculously every signer was able to attend, all hale and hearty. The ham was proudly displayed, the cast dramatically removed with glasses raised on high and much cheering and eventually served with true thanksgiving by all.
Comments