Latest news with #LuckyLou
Boston Globe
21-03-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
‘An incredible man,‘ WWII veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor honored at 105th birthday
Johnson, a great-grandfather of two, was surrounded by friends, family, and military service members. 'He was so pleased seeing all the children... they made him cards,' said Johnson's daughter, Diane Johnson. 'It was so heartwarming.' Advertisement Several families came to the event, which they said served as a history lesson for their homeschooled children. For about two hours, people lined up to give Johnson gifts, including cards, quilts, and teddy bears, and pay their respects to the veteran, a week after his 105th birthday. Diane Johnson spoke on her father's behalf, saying his hearing loss can make conversations difficult. 'It really just turned into this incredible local celebration,' said Colleen Lofgren, who works in Diggs's office. Johnson was born March 11, 1920, in Springfield and was raised in Waltham. When he was 19, he enlisted in the Navy in Boston to help in the war effort. After training in Newport, R.I., he served aboard the USS St. Louis, which came to be known as 'Lucky Lou' for escaping the attack on Pearl Harbor. Johnson played a crucial role in the first boiler room, helping to ready the ship for sail. After Pearl Harbor, Johnson transferred to the USS Iowa, which transported President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Iran for a wartime conference with Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin. Aboard the Iowa, Johnson also witnessed the official surrender of Japan in Tokyo Bay on Sep. 2, 1945. 'He's truly an incredible man,' Lofgren said. Lofgren said she met Johnson when she was on her weekend shift waitressing at a restaurant in Centerville, where Johnson and his daughter frequent. When Lofgren learned that Johnson was a Pearl Harbor veteran, she decided to help arrange a birthday celebration. Advertisement 'He's so humble,' Lofgren said. 'The way he talks, it's never about him. It's about the country, and he'll say he was just doing his job.' At the party were active members of the Navy, who traveled from Boston for the event, fellow Navy veterans and members of the military support club at Barnstable High School, Lofgren said. 'He was truly amazed at how many people came out,' Lofgren said. 'He thought it was just going to be another veterans event, but no.' Members of the local police and fire departments attended, as well as the Coast Guard Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. Related : 'It was definitely a bit of a surprise,' Johnson's daughter said. 'We were just going for the cake, but it ended up being this wonderful thing.' Johnson stopped in his tracks when he saw the young Naval officers honoring him, Lofgren said. 'I think it was overwhelming for him,' Johnson's daughter said. 'He's a good man. He doesn't think what he did was all that special, but I think it was a good reminder.' Sarah Mesdjian can be reached at
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Downtown Erie goes green for annual St. Patrick's Day parade
Four-leaf clovers, leprechauns and Lucky Lou's were all found in downtown Erie Saturday afternoon as the annual St. Patrick's Day parade marched down State Street. All you could see was a sea of green along State Street and although it was pretty windy, the rain held until the very end of the parade and it was a great turnout. 'Top of the morning to you, darling,' said Michele Wheaton, Lady of Saint Patrick. 'To be Irish is to love the day, to love the land and to love everybody.' The clouds took over the skies but that didn't stop spectators from finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow … Erie's annual St. Patrick's Day parade stepped off in downtown Erie, marking their largest parade since the pandemic. Over 75 groups decked themselves out in every shade of green and showed off their festive floats. 'We have marching bands, we have performers, we have families that just get together and march together. It's a great spot to witness everything that's great about our community. It's for Irish heritage but it also to celebrate everything that's great about Erie,' said Dave Tamulonis, events & marketing manager for the erie downtown partnership. In partnership with the Erie Downtown Partnership, the parade was hosted by the Knights and Ladies of Saint Patrick. 'Its inception was in 1987 and it was meant to bring people to Saint Patrick's and cause a little bit of a family to grow and it has done its job well,' Wheaton said. Wheaton said she was looking forward to having some green beer after the parade but by this time, some spectators already had their fair share. 'We are enjoying ourselves in beautiful downtown Erie on this windy day,' said Claire Baillie, a parade spectator. 'We are celebrating St. Patrick's Day!' 'Having green eggs in the morning it's a tradition now and just hanging out with friends and enjoying the beautiful Erie atmosphere,' said Katie Teschler, a parade spectator. Best friends Claire and Katie were sure to make time for the parade and brought plenty of Irish spirit. 'In these times that we have in sadness, there is happiness on the other side of the rainbow,' Baillie said. And no matter your background, one thing's for sure, everyone is Irish this weekend. 'We got all the green that we had and wore it,' said Emma Henry, another spectator. 'May the road rise to meet you, may the sun always be at your back and may the devil not know that you're dead until you're well on your way to heaven,' Wheaton said. 'Happy Saint Patrick's Day!' A group of high school girls went on to say. Myself and our very own JET 24 crew also made an appearance in the parade. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
