Saltwater Cemetary
Submitted by: Edward Johann
Category: Poetry
SALTWATER CEMETARY
After thunderous explosions, sailors scream out in pain.
Thoughts scramble, ricochet, prisms in the brain.
Bodies in canvas, wrapped tight as can be,
Weighted, ready for their slide into the cold, dark sea.
Survivors salute, suppress emotions of confusion.
Catastrophe at present, temporarily in conclusion.
-Ed Johann
About the author:
EDWARD ALLEN JOHANN U.S. Navy, WWII, 1941-1945 At the age of 17, Ed traveled on the USS Holland, a submarine tender to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. While on the USS Solace hospital ship, the Japanese attacked on December 7, 1941. He used a motor launch to rescue men from the USS Arizona, later receiving the Navy commendation medal with valor for his heroic efforts saving lives. Leaving Pearl Harbor on the USS Wright, a seaplane tender, Ed traveled throughout the Pacific theatre of war, including Midway, Wake Island, the Figi Islands, Guadalcanal and Australia. While in the Navy, Ed was a member of the US Navy’s boxing team. He continued boxing after leaving the Navy. He was discharged from the Navy in 1945 in Philadelphia, PA. Ed served as a fire fighter in Portland, Oregon for 28 years and has over 20 years of experience as a mountain climbing guide and member of Oregon Mountain Rescue. He has climbed mountains throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America and Norway. He is one of the oldest living member of Mazamas. Moving to Lincoln City, Oregon permanently in 1979, Ed has served on the Lincoln City Council for 15 years, is co-founder of the North Lincoln County Museum, and served on numerous city and county committees in an effort to enhance the quality of life for residents in Lincoln County. Ed has written four books, numerous articles for magazines, journals and newspapers, worked as a radio show host and sang with the Lincolnnaires. Ed is currently the only living Pearl Harbor Survivor in Lincoln County. At the age of 93, he currently resides in Lincoln City, enjoying life.