Early Blair Johnson, Sr.

Submitted by: Robin Doucette {granddaughter}

Early Blair Johnson, Sr. was born around 1886. Early Johnson served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1919.

Story of Service

My grandfather, Corporal Early Blair Johnson was born in Marion, Virginia on Oct.16, 1886. As a young man he was employed by Appalachian Power Company and he was subsequently transferred to work at the power plant at Switchback in McDowell County, West Virginia.

It was there that he met my grandmother, Mazie Trent. He proposed to her at Christmas of 1917 and gave her a beautiful diamond which she treasured all of her life. Their wedding was postponed when the US entered World War I as he did not want to leave his young bride as a widow “if something happened.”

Corporal Johnson trained at Camp Lee, Virginia before sailing for France from Norfolk, VA in May of 1918 aboard the USS Tenefores. He served in the Headquarters Detachment of the 155th Field Artillery Brigade of the famous 80th Division. His unit served in the Somme Offensive, the St. Miheil Offensive and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. The 80th Division was the only A.E.F. Division called upon three times during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and it was ranked first of all National Army Divisions by the War Department.

Corporal Johnson received a medal from France which is now displayed in my living room. It is engraved:

Headquarters 155th Field Artillery Brigade Sept 12-13, 1918, the
American troops operating victoriously in the St. Miheil Secteur broke the
resistance of the enemy and captured 13,300 prisoners.

Corporal Johnson remained in France for approximately six months after the Armistice was signed. His unit departed from Brest, France on May 17, 1919 aboard the USS Zepplin and arrived in Newport News, Virginia on May 28, 1919.

Early Blair Johnson and Mazie Trent were married one month later on June 28, 1919 in Welch, West Virginia. Mazie’s parents (my great grandparents) did not approve of their marriage due the ten year difference in their ages. So my grandmother told her parents that she was going to visit her best friend, Hattie Hancock. In actuality, the two young women met at the local parsonage and then “stood up for each other” as they both married their soldier sweethearts. Early Blair Johnson and Mazie Trent Johnson had been married for fifty-six and a half years when he died at Christmas of 1975.

My grandfather never really shared any details about his service with me, but he was an extremely patriotic man and shared his love of country with his four children and five grandchildren. I have vivid memories of him saluting the American flag hanging from his front porch and marching briskly down the street in countless parades with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, even when he was in his early eighties.

My Grandma Johnson was an incredibly gifted oral story teller and frequently regaled us with detailed stories of their courtship, Grandpa’s time in France, his homecoming and their marriage in 1919. Sometimes, if we were really good, she would open her great cedar chest and show us Grandpa’s WW I uniform and some mementos from his time in France. Her favorite story was about the day Grandpa came home from the war – safe and sound at last! She would tell the story of how, and why, he sent her two telegrams as soon as he reached the “good old U.S.A.” Her joy at his safe return was obvious with every retelling of the beloved story.

Grandma Johnson always told me that when she died I would receive the box of love letters that Grandpa had sent her from France. I was not expecting to find several hundred letters – priceless treasures from another time that supported so many of her stories. And there in that box of treasures, I found the two telegrams and the letter from my Grandfather Johnson that described his homecoming exactly as Grandma had always told us.

The following letter from Corporal Johnson was written on paper supplied by the YMCA and is dated May 29, 1919. It describes his return home to the states after serving a year in Europe. It reads:

“Camp Stuart, Va.
May 29, 1919

My dearest Mazie:

Well now don’t you know that I am happy since arriving in the good old U.S.A. Why should I not be? Just think, I am not so very far away now. But I am just so crazy to come on to see you as I am getting this far.

We arrived about 11:00 yesterday at which I told you in a wire message. Did you receive the two messages I sent you? I had a boy that I know send you one and that was just as soon as I stepped off the ship. I happened to see him there at the dock and told him to send it to you as he was a civilian and could go where he wanted to. So I just told him as he was free and I wasn’t that he could make a trip to Western Union office for me. Then after hiking up here I was afraid that he forgot it so I just sent you another one. We had a very nice trip across this time, was in 3 days of storm but see we were on our way home and we didn’t care.

I did not get sick crossing this time either so you see I am some sailor. But it is useless for me to be telling you about that trip now because what I want is to see you. Then I can tell you about the trip.

Well, I was sure lucky and should be thankful because I didn’t get hurt or sick. Haven’t been sick a day since I’ve been gone. Was away from the U.S.A. for one year and two days. We are now wearing our second service stripe, but we have been exchanging clothing so much that it is hard to keep them sewed on. They cannot decide what kind of clothing they want us to wear. The supply Sgt. Has gone again today to draw another style so we will get home as soon as they get tired of that.

Mazie I would just love to see you. Just seemed like I ought to see you when I walked down the gangplank. Was so many people there, I just looked for you all the time, but I am sure I will see you soon now. I hear that we don’t parade in Richmond, but will go from here to Camp Lee. Mazie don’t suppose it would be any good to write me because I won’t be at this camp long enough to receive a letter from down there. Although when you receive this letter you can write one if you don’t hear of me going to Camp Lee, and listen, if you do send to same address, Camp Stuart, Va. I would love to hear from you.

Well Mazie I will stop for today, but will write you every day from now on. Be a sweet girl and I will see you soon.
Yours,
Early
12:00 Thursday”