Some of you have been asking for this… so here it is until I can get you a hard copy….<\/p>\n
By JONATHAN BLUNDELL Daily Light staff writer
\nThursday, February 9, 2006 2:41 PM CST<\/p>\n
In the fall of 1943, war raged overseas and Americans were landing at Paestum on the Gulf of Salerno, Italy.
\nThe 36th Infantry Division, with National Guard members from Texas and Oklahoma, marched forward through Salerno capturing the land from Agropoli to Altavilla.
\nAs they rested in Salerno, Staff Sgt. Claren \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Curly\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Thompson, a division cook, befriended a young Italian, Johnny Camera, who was working and camping nearby.
\nJohnny had been moving from place to place under the assumption that his family had been killed during recent fighting.
\nJohnny was camping nearby and working for one dollar a year and food and clothes.
\nThompson took 11-year-old Camera in and the soldiers accepted him as one of their own, giving him a uniform with the pant legs and shirt sleeves shortened to fit.
\nJohnny stayed with the division for 11 months during its campaign across Italy.
\nDuring that time, Thompson promised Johnny that if he ever made it to America he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d have a home waiting for him in Texas.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Over there you look for any opportunity you can find, especially if you get to come to America,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was separated from my family after one sister was killed. I assumed they were all dead and the thought of going to America looked like a great idea.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nJohnny was left with the 542nd military police battalion just outside Naples, Italy, while the 36th marched on and prepared to invade France.
\nThe MPs left Johnny at a replacement depot where soldiers were being shipped back home to the U.S.
\nWhile at the depot, 1st Lt. Howard L. Benyon, with the 542nd MPs, gave Johnny a letter of introduction praising his help as a morale builder and an interpreter.
\nFrom there a soldier volunteered to help Johnny onto a ship headed for New York.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153A soldier told me to head toward the ship,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153When a guard stopped me I was to tell him I was coming to see the soldier and he would wave me on.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nThe plan worked and Johnny boarded the Claymont Victory headed for New York.
\nAs a stowaway, soldiers on board fed Johnny during the 13-day voyage to America.
\nOn Feb. 2, 1946, the ship docked at Pier 84, on the North River in New York City.
\nThe soldiers left Johnny on board when they arrived in New York City, giving him ideas on how to get off the ship.
\nWith his specially fitted army uniform and $55 that soldiers on board chipped in, Johnny was ready to head to Texas.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Once we got to New York I had to figure out how to get off the ship,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t realize it, but someone on shore was watching me the entire time and right before I bailed off the ship five or six guards came and grabbed me.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nJohnny explained his story to immigration authorities and was sent to Ellis Island where his case awaited trail.
\nNewspapers at the time reported that many were amazed with the English and Texas drawl that Johnny had learned from Thompson while in Italy.
\nAs the press learned of Johnny\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s story, publicity grew and former GIs from Brooklyn to Texas went to work to get Johnny released.
\nLetters were sent to Attorney General Tom Clark, a Texan himself, and others demanding Johnny be released to Thompson\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s care in Texas.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The publicity got high,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I never would have imagined how big a deal it became.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nLetters were sent on Johnny\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s behalf to a variety of officials by Congressman Luther Johnson, Texas 6th; Congressman Lyndon B. Johnson, Texas 10th; and Acting Special Assistant to the Commissioner James Butterfield among others.
\nAfter repeated requests to release Johnny, the attorney general gave Johnny a 60-day release to visit Texas.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know anything about Texas,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But I knew they loved to fight and Thompson was one of the main guys. He was 6 foot 2 inches and about 240 pounds. I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see anyone who could whip him and he could fight three at a time, so I decided I wanted to be a Texan like Thompson. The Yankees would always stir something up but the Texans would always win.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nSo with a ticket purchased by the New York Daily News, Johnny headed to Dallas Love Field, decked out in cowboy garb donated by members of the 36th ID.
\nJohnny arrived in Texas on Saturday, Feb. 23, with a hero\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s welcome, where he was greeted by Texas dignitaries and celebrities, including Thompson\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mother, A.D. Thompson.
\nCurly Thompson was at home in Waxahachie recovering from an operation.
\nJohnny\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s first full day in Texas was spent at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Waxahachie with a picnic and football in the afternoon.
\nJohnny was dressed for the occasion in a double-breasted brown suit, new tan oxfords, a white shirt, canary necktie and a new hat; all had been provided by Waxahachie merchants who opened their stores late Saturday night so he could be fitted.
\nHe was promptly enrolled in school at Marvin Elementary, where he learned new American customs and sports.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Food was one of the hardest things to get used to,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The customs were also hard to get used to, especially religious customs. I was Catholic and you carry that with you your entire life, but I ended up at a Baptist Church.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nJohnny said the teachers and staff at Marvin made a huge difference in his life.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was blessed to have a principal who cared about the kids,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153She wanted to educate us. I had three or four people who worked hard to teach me, including Ms. Rayfile Steel, who was the best economic teacher I ever had.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nSports gave Johnny a chance to build friendships at school as fellow students taught him how to play various games.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d seen the soldiers play football, baseball and softball overseas, but the kids at school taught me a lot more,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was indoctrinated with baseball. Bobby Jordon made up his mind that he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d show me how to play baseball and I was blessed in making good friends like him.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nAs Johnny attended school, officials continued to work legalizing his entry into the United States.
\nAnd on June 1, Johnny made his second arrival into the United States at Eagle Pass, Texas.
\nJohnny and Thompson crossed over the international bridge into Piedras Negras, Mexico and obtained an immigration visa at the American consulate.
\nBills introduced by Congressman Luther Johnson allowed Johnny to stay in the U.S. and later become a naturalized citizen.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I had some pretty influential people backing me up,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Joe Norton also helped me out a lot. He made a lot of connections in Washington to help me.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nAfter becoming a naturalized citizen, Johnny was officially adopted by Thompson and he took Thompson\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s last name.
\nJohnny continued going to school in Waxahachie and in high school, at 5 feet 2 inches and barely 125 pounds, Johnny played guard for two years at Waxahachie High School.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153School was always fun, but people were always coming to take pictures,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I would get pulled out of class all the time so people could get pictures of me.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nStories and pictures of Johnny attending school and growing up in Waxahachie appeared in Life Magazine and countless newspapers across the country.
\nJohnny graduated from Waxahachie High School in 1952 and later enlisted in the U.S. Navy with a fellow football player from school.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We just felt like it was the thing to do,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I had a chance to be in the Army, but we decided to stay together so we both went into the Navy. I knew what it would be like from the time I spent in Italy and decided it was the right thing to do.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nBoth Johnny and Oscie Kirkland left for basic training in San Diego, Calif., in 1955.
\nAfter their two years in the Navy, Johnny and Kirkland both returned to Texas to look for work.
\nKirkland was hired on with Lofland Company in Dallas and Johnny found work there as well in 1960.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been together most of our lives,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I just kind of hung on his coat tails.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nJohnny worked for Lofland Company for 33 years, including several at the Waxahachie plant.
\nJohnny married his wife, Mary Ellen from Venus, in 1964 and together they have three children, Rosina, Johnny and Johnna, as well as four grandchildren.
\nAnd years after he left his home in Italy, Johnny got word that his mother and two of his sisters were still alive.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153My two sisters ended up in England,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And I eventually heard from my mother. She read about my story in the papers and was able to track me down. I apparently made the news in Italy too and she came to see us in October 1968.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It all turned out good,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was one of the lucky ones. I owe a lot to a lot of people. Teachers, friends, I owe a lot to them for helping educate me.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nJohnny said their sacrifices helped him strive to be a better person.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153They wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have wanted me to live badly and I think that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s encouraged me to do well,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was blessed to have people who cared and made me aware of so much.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nToday, Johnny spends much of his time at home with his wife in Waxahachie, and enjoys spending time with his grandchildren every chance he gets.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I spent some time playing golf after I retired,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But I got too old and got tired too quick. So now I just fiddle around the house, doing a little bit of this and a little bit of that – just trying to stay busy.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nHe never returned to Italy after he took his fateful trip in 1946.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t miss Italy and I never wanted to go back,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was invited by a television station to go back, but I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have any desire to do so.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been lucky,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s wife said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s an amazing story. And not many people would have the drive or ambition to keep going.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t change a thing,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Johnny said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Some of you have been asking for this… so here it is until I can get you a hard copy…. By JONATHAN BLUNDELL Daily Light staff writer Thursday, February 9, 2006 2:41 PM CST In the fall of 1943, war raged overseas and Americans were landing at Paestum on the Gulf of Salerno, Italy. The … Continue reading American Journey<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pEnSo-aZ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/casadeblundell.com\/jonathan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/casadeblundell.com\/jonathan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/casadeblundell.com\/jonathan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/casadeblundell.com\/jonathan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/84"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/casadeblundell.com\/jonathan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=681"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/casadeblundell.com\/jonathan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/681\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/casadeblundell.com\/jonathan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/casadeblundell.com\/jonathan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/casadeblundell.com\/jonathan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}