Rolland “Rollie” Johnson
Rolland “Rollie” Johnson served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean war from October 1952 to October 1954, serving 18 months of his 24-month hitch as a ‘machine gunner’ with the 43rd Division in Berlin, Germany.
His unit was stationed in the Russian sector of Berlin at a time when the situation, following the end of WWII, was very tense.
His hitch in Germany followed his ‘basic training’ at Camp Breckenridge, Ky.
While in Berlin, his unit did much of its training at Tempelhof Air Force Base in Munich, primarily preparing for riot control activity should it erupt with the Soviets. While in Germany he graduated from NCO School. He was honorably discharged from active duty with the rank of corporal.
Prior to enlisting in the Army, Rollie tied the knot with his wife, the former Alma Lucier on April 19, 1952. Rollie and Alma have been married for 70 years. Rollie and Alma were married for eight years before the birth of their first child. In the next eight years they had five children, Michael (63); Wendy (62); Christopher (60); Brian (57); and Gary (55).
Rollie is a 1950 graduate of Putnam High School, the last class to graduate from the former high school at the corner of Providence and School streets (now the Putnam Municipal Complex). Following a brief employment at the John M. Dean Co. in Putnam, Rollie went back to school at H.H. Ellis Technical School (in Putnam then), and received a degree as an electrician in 1958. He then embarked on a 37-year career at Electric Boat, retiring in September 1995.
In November 1954, shortly following his discharge from the Army, he was recruited by his friend Stanley Scraba to join the 43rd Division of the Connecticut National Guard, initially a ‘light infantry’ unit and later an engineering company. In July 1966 after 12 years in The Guard he retired at the rank of Master Sgt. E7 --- to spend more time with this wife and children.
He is a member of the Putnam Elks, and although he’s not a Roman Catholic, he is an Honorary member of the Knights of Columbus Council #64. He’s a member of the VFW and American Legion Post #13. A person who gave back to his community, he spent 28 years doing all the electrical work for the St. Mary’s Circle of Fun, coached Little League and even found a little time to play golf.