PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — Thousands of miles from home, Diamond Point pilots John Johnson and Dave Richardson made their trek to Hawaii for the 75th commemoration of the end of World War II in the Pacific.
Events begin Saturday, and the commemoration ceremony is planned for the USS Missouri on Wednesday.
The pair said they’ll make several flights around Oahu and over Pearl Harbor in Johnson’s T-6 Texan. Johnson will fly and Richardson will serve as crew chief with dozens of other historic planes such as B-25s and P-40 Mustangs during aerial parades of warbirds.
The two pilots, both veterans, flew from the Sequim area to San Diego in mid-July to quarantine in a hotel for 14 days because of COVID-19 regulations.
The crew of the USS Essex welcomed civilian pilots like John Johnson and Dave Richardson aboard to bring them to Oahu to participate in the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in the Pacific Ocean. (Photo courtesy of John Johnson)
After they cleared medical tests, the friends left aboard the USS Essex for eight days with hundreds of sailors to Pearl Harbor.
“We’re lucky in that we’re both retired and could take a month and a half off,” Richardson said.
Johnson said they were able to arrive in Hawaii so early on Aug. 10, because the Essex was en route to the Hawaiian Islands.
Because of novel coronavirus concerns, Richardson said many of the restaurants near them are closed.
“A lot of the things you’d go and see are closed, but we’re not here for a vacation,” Johnson said. “We’re here to honor veterans and their loss.”
While flying by the USS Arizona Memorial, Dave Richardson of Diamond Point said it’s “sobering to pass (it) at all hands salute. It is the reason we are here. God bless America.” (Photo courtesy of Dave Richardson)
Ship life
Richardson said their first night aboard the USS Essex was rough with a lot of wind and big swells.
“Some (historic plane pilots) had thinner canopy covers, and the wind was turning them into pirate ships with tattered sails,” he said.
The winds mellowed, though, and the few civilian pilots aboard were given mostly open access.
“They said, ‘Go pretty much anywhere you want to go; if the door is locked, you can’t go in there,’ ” Richardson said.
Johnson and Richardson dined with the leadership of the ship several times. Because only a few civilians were aboard, the experience felt more personal, they said.
“They weren’t overwhelmed. Everything is routine. It’s like ‘Groundhog Day,’ ” Johnson said, referring to the 1993 movie.
“The meals are at the same time, and what food they have is on the same schedule.
“Everything is about meals, and it’s the only time where you sit (staggered) and socialize and interact like a human being.”
At sundown, lights turn to red aboard the USS Essex to preserve night vision for crewmen. (Photo courtesy of John Johnson)
Johnson said they gave talks and tours about the historic planes to crew members, and they saw much of the ship’s operations.
“It was a wonderful experience,” Richardson said. “We made new friends for life.”
Some aspects of ship life did take some getting used to, the friends said, including the constant noises of running pumps and air handlers.
Richardson said they also got plenty of steps in each day as they had to climb a lot of ladders to access different aspects of the Essex.
At sundown, interior lights go from white to red to preserve night vision, which took a few minutes to adjust to, the pair said.
“It was surreal,” Richardson said.
In an age of easy access to information, they were required to turn off their cell phones so they didn’t know their exact location. The few details available to them came in unclassified briefings each morning from ship leaders.
John Johnson climbs one of the many ladders inside the USS Essex earlier this month. He and Dave Richardson of Diamond Point rode to Oahu to fly Johnson’s T6 Texan in a special event honoring the end of World War II. (Photo courtesy of John Johnson) John Johnson climbs one of the many ladders inside the USS Essex earlier this month.
In Oahu
After the warbirds and civilians were dropped off, ship leaders and the pilots arranged to do some fly-by photo opportunities with some of the ship’s company in dress whites on the flight deck for a few hours.
Johnson said he flew with a local TV reporter to promote the commemoration.
The friends will continue to configure a camera on the T-6 for the best footage.
“These airplanes vibrate a lot, so we’re trying to work on that,” Richardson said.
Once all the pilots arrive, Johnson’s plan was to take all the T-6s up to practice formations.
“It’s like dancing,” he said. “We’ll get three up or four or five. It’s not something you just do. You have to practice.”
For more on the events in Hawaii and a link for livestreaming of Wednesday’s commemoration ceremony, visit 75thwwiicommemoration.org, which also has videos and footage of the end of the war.
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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.
