REMEMBERING
JOHNNIE DAVID HUTCHINS

By Joe C. Fling

Far and away the most honored and laurelled of Eagle Lake's World War II dead is Johnnie David Hutchins. Hutchins was posthumously awarded our nations highest military decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor for the action in which he gave up his life in the American assault at Lae, New Guinea 60 years ago, September 4, 1943.

Honors accorded Hutchins have been numerous. A building at the Naval Air Station in Dallas. A building in Virginia. A World War II destroyer the U.S.S. Johnnie Hutchins, christened by Hutchins' mother. In 1991, Ridgelea, the street leading to the new Eagle Lake Primary school was renamed Johnnie D. Hutchins Drive. The Texas LST Association held a special wreath laying service at Lakeside cemetery on Labor Day, 1998. Another graveside service is being planned for this September 6.

Hutchins continues to be honored to this day. A plaque honoring Hutchins hangs on the wall of honor at the Nimitz Museum in Fredricksburg. Another plaque on the same wall was placed by the crew of the destroyer named in Hutchins' honor. His original gravestone was replaced with a special military marker engraved with the Medal of Honor. Another Medal of Honor stone lies in a place of honor at the Wharton County Veterans Monument on the courthouse square in Wharton.

With all these honors and accolades, who was Johnnie David Hutchins? He was born at Weimar, August 4, 1922 the son of Mr. & Mrs. John Marion Hutchins. Later, his sharecropper parents moved the family to Lissie. Like so many other boys from that area, Johnnie attended Eagle Lake schools. He played on the 1938 Eagle Lake Eagles football team with Franklin Reese who served aboard the Wasp with Billy Cook when it went down, and with Fred Estlinbaum who was killed in action in Germany in 1945. Hutchins volunteered in November, 1942 at age 20. Less than a year later he was dead, and the bravery that he showed in the face of death has not been forgotten to this day.

The citation on the presentation of the Congressional Medal of Honor states that it was awarded to Hutchins,

For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous valor above and beyond the call of duty, while serving aboard a landing ship, tank, during the assault on Lae, New Guinea, September 4, 1943. As the ship on which 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, dislodging him from his station and left the stricken ship helplessly exposed. Fully aware of the dire peril of the situation, Hutchins although mortally wounded by the shattering explosion, quickly grabbed 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 thought concerned only 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.

Details of the battle were forthcoming. The U.S. Navy was ferrying troops of the Australian 9th Division from Milne Bay to beaches east of Lae, New Guinea in a coordinated attack to turn the tide of fighting in the Southwest Pacific. It was a trip of almost 200 miles. In route to the beaches, on September 4, 1943, still many miles out at sea the little squadron of six LSTs, three minesweepers and two subchasers came under heavy attack from Japanese dive bombers and torpedo planes. They were unable to put up sufficient firepower to knock down the enemy planes.

A half dozen Japanese 'Val' dive-bombers concentrated on LST-473, which was Hutchins' boat. They scored two direct hits which crumpled the pilothouse of the boat at 1:58 p.m. Immediate casualties were Six American dead and 13 wounded, with 18 of the Australian soldiers aboard wounded. Among the wounded were Fredrick Erickson, helmsman of the boat, who was thrown clear of the pilot house by the blast; and Seaman First Class Johnnie Hutchins. Now twelve 'Betty' torpedo bombers bore down on the stricken LST, and launched their torpedoes. Hutchins, grievously wounded got to the wheel first and spun it full right so that one torpedo shaved the bow wave and another the wake. The rest of the crew responded, manned their guns and fought fuel fires on the LST and saved it. But by the time anyone else could reach the shattered pilothouse, the pharmacist's mate found Hutchins slumped over the wheel, dead. He clutched a spoke of the wheel in each hand. The mate could not move his body and had to get two other sailors to help remove him from the wheel.

The initial reports of Hutchins death did not stir any extra ordinary reaction. The commotion began in earnest when it was announced that he was being awarded the Medal of Honor. Only about thirty Texans won the Medal of Honor in World War II, making it a select honor above all others.

After that announcement honors rolled in. The Navy christened a destroyer, the U.S.S. Johnnie D. Hutchins on May 2, 1944 at Orange, Texas. The christening of the ship was attended by the whole Hutchins family who rode by special train from Lissie to Orange. Johnnie's mother had the honor of christening the ship. At the ceremony Lt. Rowland Dillard, a ship mate of Johnnie's said, "Hutchins was the best helmsman. That's why I had him at the wheel. I had picked him for advancement to coxswain after the little show at Lae." To this day, ship mates of Hutchins speak quietly and emotionally of what Johnnie did that day, 60 years ago.

The Medal of Honor was presented by Rear Admiral A.C. Bennet in a public ceremony September 21, 1944 at the Sam Houston Coliseum. Houston mayor Otis Massey was master of ceremonies. The event was kicked off by a short parade down Main Street in Houston, featuring a detachment of U.S. Marines and the Ellington Field Military Band.

Honors have continued to come to Hutchins' memory on a regular basis. Hutchins Hall at the Dallas Naval Air Station, dedicated 1981; a Memorial plaque at Nimitz State Historical Park, was placed in 1989 by the Texas LST association, which leads those who honor the memory of what Johnnie did. The Medal of Honor now rests in the Pacific War wing of the National D-Day museum in New Orleans. The Prairie Edge Museum has a display devoted to Hutchins. For perspective on the times, the U.S. Government death benefit to the family of the hero was $475.20, which was used to purchase the family home from Mose Thomas.

Johnnie D. Hutchins is now buried at the back of Lakeside cemetery, his grave marked by a tall marker engraved with the image of the Medal of Honor. Other remarks by his commander Lt. Dillard are suitable to his memory: "Hutchins was an outstanding young man. He was neat and clean at all times. He was determined, intelligent, ambitious, cheerful, a good leader, loyal, and had good judgment. He was a good "man-o-wars-man," a good shipmate."

Hutchins would be 81 years old if he were alive today. But he died a month past his 21st birthday. The survivors of the men he died to save are all in their 80s today. But when you hear them speak of him at the frequent memorials given to Johnnie, you know that in their minds, he is still the smiling, energetic, 21 year old blond headed boy they knew on LST-473. The boy who thought not of himself, but of shipmates, honor and duty. I have talked to some of these men. They remember what he did 60 years ago. Eagle Lake ought to remember as well.