Johnnie F. Egner, USN

Born in Olmstead, Ill., Johnnie started his journey with simple beginnings. His first bed was a drawer in his parents room at the Pulaski County Poor Farm. Being the first of four children, he held down many jobs to help feed his family before joining the Navy in 1940. He served aboard the USS West Virginia and on December 8th, 1941, he was reassigned to the USS San Francisco, which is the ship he served on for the duration of WWII. After the Navy he worked hard to build a good life for his family in San Francisco. He was a member of the Masonic Phoenix Lodge 144 in San Francisco for 43 years. After retirement in 1984 he enjoyed fishing, spending time with family and friends, traveling to visit both whenever possible. Johnnie was an active member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Chapter 2, and always enjoyed the monthly luncheons, but especially the camaraderie. Above all he was devoted to his family, both immediate and extended; he embraced the changes and enjoyed being called “Grandpa” by an always growing group of family and friends.