Johnny & Janie’s Life

There are no more letters, either because of military censorship, the mail, their moving or simply just some were lost.

Their story continues with information from Janie’s 1945 journal.

Jane traveled by train on her birthday May 14, she was 21, and wrote in her journal “Happy Birthday to me”. Johnny met her in San Francisco..  On June 16, 1945, they purchased their first home 420 McKendrie, San Jose. Taken directly from Jane’s journal ~“Pretty nice little house, white frame with red shutters, all furnished, 2 lots with a double garage plus 30 chickens. So happy Mom is coming out.”    Here are pictures of their first home.

Johnny continued to serve as a Merchant Marine and was ofter shipped out.  He was sailing as a Licensed Jr. Engineer, and making $180 a  month.  This ship was a Class C2. 

Fun Fact: Type C2 ships were designed by the United States Maritime Commission (MARCOM) in 1937–38. They were all-purpose cargo ships with 5 holds,  and U.S. shipyards built 328 of them from 1939 to 1945. Compared to ships built before 1939, the C2s were remarkable for their speed and fuel economy.

June 26, 1945 from Jane’s journal, a last evening before Johnny shipped out again…..The last week or so we have been here at Maddens.  Johnny was aboard ship every day and at night Syg, Johnny and I went out to eat, then to the beach or to a show or a walk, something every night.  Johnny came back at 3:00 today and liberty is up at 4:00 am tomorrow, so we cleaned up and went to the Paris Restaurant for a lovely dinner.  Johnny bought me a beautiful corsage of roses and then we met Dik and hois wife at the Elpadio to dance, we were there until 11:00 then over to the Club Savay & Backstage, then home at 1:30.  Johnny packed and  I walked down to the street car with him and he left. Yes, Johnny is gone and now it doesn’t seem like we were even together. It went so fast but it was wonderful whilte it lasted. 

June 27, 1945 …No word from Johnny.  I’m not doing anything. I’m afraid to leave the house for fear Johnny might call.

June 28, 1945 …Still waiting… No word, guess he is gone.

June 29, 1945 …No word~

June 30, 1945 …Received a note from Johnny they left on Friday. Also received a wire from Momie, she arrives tonight.  Am so glad ~ am almost crazy with the last three days being alone and not hearing from any one.

July 1, 1945 ~ After Mom arrived in california, we went to the Cliff  House for dinner and walked down the beach wall and watched the ocean, knowing that somewhere out there Johnny is going is going further and further away from me every minute……

July 19, 1945 ~ Yes today is our first anniversary and Johnny is thousands of miles away, well that’s war.  It doesn’t seem possible that it has been a year since that happy, happy day we were married.  How time flies and how it drags at times.  What can I say, nothing, soooo, I wish only that… I wish Johnny was here.

July 25, 1945 ~ Today is a sadder than most day.  Two years ago today Daddie died.  Poor Momie, so many things have happened since then and not very many of them happy.  Will this war ever end, will things ever be like they used to be ??

August 14, 1945 ~ Today is a very big day throughout the world.  Japan surrendered.  It doesn’t seem possible that at last the boys will be coming home and we will once more be living normal lives.  Mom and I listened to the radio almost all night last night waiting for the news. Chuck, we hope, won’t have to go overseas now with the baby coming & all.  Maybe things will work out for Momie and everyone now.  But it will take a long time to get things straightened out I’m afraid. The main thing is the boys are through fighting & soon they will be home, of course my Johnny expecially.

August 15, 1945 ~ Johnny is 25 today.  I wrote him a letter and that was all I could do. But maybe he will be home soon, I hope…

August 22, 1945  Received a wire from Johnny, “Darling, leave and pay off cancelled.  Leaving for NY today. Contact you from there”…. Well my bubble really went down but fast.  Messed around all day and ready to go to the store when another wire arrived “Darling ~ Disregard previous. See you Saturday or Sunday”  I let out a yell and up goes my bubble, I’m on a pink cloud, my Johnny is coming home, really!

August 26, 1945 Am so happy my Johnny is home. Ya he is! Saturday morning at 9:20 he walked right in and now once more we are together for a while. He loves me very mucj. He says our place looks swell. He may only be here for a day or so ~ but that is better than nothing.

August 27, 1945 Well, we are going to b together longer than we expected.  We may have a couple weeks. Am I happy! Jeepers its so nice having him around.  Oh well, mayb one more trip will do it and he will be hoe for good.  We have been lucky Johnny is still alive.

September 3, 1945 Well, Johnny and I have been working around the house, enjoying living together. He has to keep on sailing for six months or more, saying if Momie doesn’t come back to California, that I may be alone here for quite a while, sooo we have decided to sell the house and after doing so I will go back to Des Moines until Johnny is done sailing with the Merchant Marines.  The thought of leaving California is not a happy one.

Johnny reported September 19, 1945, in the early morning for instructions.  They sold the house on September 27 and on October 3 Johnny reported to his ship and left San Francisco at 5:30 AM, heading to Tokiyo. Janie hated being alone and as soon as the closing on the house was complete, she headed back to Des Moines not knowing that she was pregnant.

Johnny served as a Junior Engineer on the SS Czechoslovakia Victory, from September 27, 1945, until December 10, 1945.  She was a leader in her class of cargo ships.

Johnny was called again to service as a 3^rd Assistant Engineer on February 2, 1946, and served until July 11, 1946, on two different voyages aboard the SS Queen of the Seas.

Johnny & Jane’s first child, Nancy Ann was born May 29, 1946. Johnny was at sea.

Johnny faithfully served in the Merchant Marines until October 1946.

Johnny & Jane never did have any boys, much less twin boys that they always referred to as T & T, (Timmy & Tommy). They did, however, raise 5 girls.

This family picture was taken in the spring of 1966, Nancy Ann, Susan Ellen, Sandra Jane, Christine Marie, and the youngest Jennifer Jean. This was just before the tragic accidental death of their eldest, Nancy Ann, at age 19 on May 23. It is the only picture we have of our entire family.

Johnny passed away in December 1976. Johnny & Jane barely had 30 years together following his service and the war. Although Johnny served his country as a Merchant Marine, he never received any veterans benefits. The men who served with the Merchant Marine during World War II, hauling precious cargo around the world, pulled the most dangerous duty during that war. Working sometimes without escort and with only modest fire power aboard, the ships of the Merchant Marine sailed through mine fields and dodged submarines and bombers to deliver invaluable cargo everywhere from Arctic Russia to the Persian Gulf. But formal military recognition, veterans’ status and benefits were denied these brave Mariners until 1988.

Janie passed away in October of 1998.

Susan, ours next eldest sister passed away January 27, 2006.

We are so grateful that Jane, our mother, kept these treasured letters and pictures for so many years. We only wish we had taken the time to read them when she was alive. We can see Dad and Mom’s faces in our minds with each letter we read. The expressions and emotions written in these endearing letters lights up our souls.

We want to thank you for following along and sharing our parents story. We hope you have enjoyed their true love story.

sChristine Marie Berhow Greiman & Jennifer Jean Berhow-Hanson