Honoring a soldier, remembering a brother

Family thanks God for opportunity to lay fallen private and beloved older sibling to rest

Army Pvt. Rudolph "Rudy" Johnson's casket sits open before his funeral Thursday at Hicks Memorial Chapel in Hope, Ark. Johnson died fighting in Italy during World War II, but his remains were identified only recently.
Army Pvt. Rudolph "Rudy" Johnson's casket sits open before his funeral Thursday at Hicks Memorial Chapel in Hope, Ark. Johnson died fighting in Italy during World War II, but his remains were identified only recently.

Family and friends of Army Pvt. Rudolph "Rudy" Johnson remembered his life and honored his sacrifice Thursday, more than 70 years after he died fighting in World War II.

In 1945, Johnson died fighting the Germans in Italy. From 1949 until 2016, Johnson's unidentified remains lay interred in a U.S. military cemetery there, labeled not with his name but with the designation Unknown X-298. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency recently matched DNA from the remains with a sample from Johnson's brother Jesse, allowing Johnson's return home to Arkansas and the long-awaited closure provided by Thursday's funeral.

Johnson was the oldest of six siblings, and the two brothers and two sisters who survive attended the service at Hicks Memorial Chapel in Hope, Ark. In 1945, all of the siblings were children who looked up to Johnson, his sister Mossie Shepard said.

"We were just little, snotty-nosed girls running around, but he was the big brother, and I loved him so dearly," she said. Shepard went to say that her mother had refused to accept any remains unless she could be sure they were Johnson's.

"I feel good about this because I agreed firstly with my mom that we didn't want to bring him back, because we didn't know for sure it would be him. But I am so glad my brother Jesse gave his DNA consent, that we could truthfully find out that the remains that we have here today are that of our brother, who gave his life for you, for me, as many did during that time.

"And I'd like to say to my mom, 'Mom, we went beyond you, but I feel like you would be blessed and glad that we did if you were here to see the honor that your son received today,'" Shepard said.

Johnson's sister Betty Jean Coulter remembered as a child pleading with him to bring her a treat that until then she had only heard about-a popsicle-after his day's work.

"Rudy showed up with two popsicle sticks in his back pocket, no paper wrapping and a wet pocket, and he said to me, 'I told you that it would melt,'" she said.

Coulter took the opportunity to make an overdue introduction.

"Rudy, this is your family and your friends that you never had a chance to meet. And family and friends, this is Rudy, that you never had a chance to meet. But to know Rudy was to love Rudy, and I would just like to say: Welcome home, Rudy; we honor your arrival," she said.

Johnson's nephew Kamau N'nomdy delivered the eulogy, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to honor his uncle.

"Because of the advances in science, we can have some closure, some peace, some comfort to know that Rudy's not just lost, but we found Rudy through a system that God has given man to use.

"All of this God orchestrated through time. Time does not faze God like it does us, and that's why I can say to God, 'Do something 70 years ago.' I can say it now, and if God grants that request, it will have already been done. Just like we pray now that we ask God to do something tomorrow, did you not know we can ask God to do something in days gone by?" he said.

One step remains in delivering Johnson to his final resting place. He will be buried with military honors at 1 p.m. today in the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in North Little Rock.

Four members of the Patriot Guard Riders stood vigil outside, holding American flags, during the service Thursday. The group of motorcycle riders "ensures dignity and respect at memorial services honoring Fallen Military Heroes, First Responders and honorably discharged Veterans," according to a mission statement on its website.

On Twitter: @RealKarlRichter

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