Valor Friday

Today’s Valor Friday honors Jonnie D. Hutchins, USNR. Johnnie was born on 4 August 1922 in Weimer, Texas, and enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve as an Apprentice Seaman from that state in November 1942. Completing recruit training at Naval Training Station, San Diego, California, he was promoted to Seaman Second Class in January 1943. Following additional training with landing craft in April, he received orders to LST-473. The following month, Hutchins was promoted to Seaman First Class. Sadly, he did not survive the war. Jonnie is buried in Lakeside Cemetery at Eagle Lake, Texas. He is forever 21 and forever a hero whose final mortal act was to save his ship and his shipmates. This is his story as forwarded to me by one who wishes to remain anonymous.

After World War II, US scrap yards were very busy reducing war machines to their useful metal. That’s what happened to LST-473 in 1948, whose life began six years earlier in the Kaiser Shipyards of Vancouver, Washington as Maritime Commission Hull #993. She was built for amphibious landings and earned five battle stars in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during her brief life. The first of those battle stars went to her in September 1943 for action at Lae, New Guinea. Then, as now, Lae was a port city and the Japanese occupiers anticipated an assault there. The first in-bound transports carried the Australian and American infantry and engineers. Behind them were other LSTs carrying supplies and heavy cargo, including tanks, trucks, jeeps, and artillery.

The landings initially met relatively light resistance, but that changed as LST-473 and five other LSTs laden with heavy cargo made their way toward Red Beach at Lae. An estimated 70 enemy planes carrying bombs and torpedoes attacked the half dozen vessels as land-based guns opened up on them. Two bombs struck LST-473, taking its helmsman out of action and killing or wounding other crewmen. Seaman First Class Johnnie Hutchins, himself seriously wounded, saw a torpedo heading toward his ship. The account of what he did in response to that sight is captured below in his Medal of Honor citation, issued posthumously.

It is fitting that a destroyer escort–a protector–should have been named for Johnnie Hutchins. In 1944, the USS Johnnie Hutchins (DE-360) was launched. The ship was built in his home state and its sponsor was his mother. Society of Sponsors Link

Division: U.S.S. Landing Ship Tank 473 (LST-473)
GENERAL ORDERS:
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Seaman First Class Johnnie David Hutchins, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and conspicuous valor above and beyond the call of duty while serving on board a Landing Ship Tank (LST-473), during the assault on Lae, New Guinea, 4 September 1943. As the ship on which Seaman First Class Hutchins was stationed approached the enemy-occupied beach under a veritable hail of fire from Japanese shore batteries and aerial bombardment, a hostile torpedo pierced the surf and bore down upon the vessel with deadly accuracy. In the tense split seconds before the helmsman could steer clear of the threatening missile, a bomb struck the pilot house, dislodged him from his station, and left the stricken ship helplessly exposed. Fully aware of the dire peril of the situation, Seaman First Class Hutchins, although mortally wounded by the shattering explosion, quickly grasped the wheel and exhausted the last of his strength in maneuvering the vessel clear of the advancing torpedo. Still clinging to the helm, he eventually succumbed to his injuries, his final thoughts concerned only with the safety of his ship, his final efforts expended toward the security of his mission. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.

Hand salute. Ready, Two!

Fair winds and following seas, Seaman First Class Hutchins.

Category: Navy, The Warrior Code, Valor