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VIDEO: One of the oldest known living Pearl Harbor survivors celebrates 106th birthday

Meet Freeman Johnson, one of the oldest known Pearl Harbor survivors, who celebrated his 106th birthday and reflected on his service during World War II.

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SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13TH. SO WE RECENTLY GOT THIS. THIS IS A LETTER FROM DIANE JOHNSON AND SHE WRITES ABOUT HER DAD AND SHE WRITES IT TO US HERE AT NEWSCENTER 5 THAT MY DAD WILL TURN 106 ON MARCH 11TH. HE IS A GOOD MAN, A HUMBLE MAN, AND THE OLDEST LIVING PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR. NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN. WE SPENT THE DAY AT THE BARNSTABLE ADULT COMMUNITY CENTER. I KNOW HIM. IT’S GREAT TO MEET YOU, SIR. GREAT TO MEET YOU. THE BALLOONS WERE THERE TOO. HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR FREEMAN JOHNSON’S BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO 106 AND GOING STRONG. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR. FREEMAN. AND ANOTHER SMALL TODD. YOU’RE NOT A SMALL COG. YOU’RE A VITAL COG. HARDLY A SMALL COG AT 106. NAVY MACHINIST FIRST CLASS FREEMAN JOHNSON IS THE OLDEST SURVIVOR OF THE BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR. WHY DID YOU PICK THE NAVY? I’M TIRED OF BEING A NAVY GETS THREE MEALS A DAY EVERY DAY. PRETTY HOT. THERE HE WAS ABOARD THE USS SAINT LOUIS ON DECEMBER 7TH, 1941. IT WAS A SUNDAY. SHE GOT. OUT SUIT. I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT FOR. WHEN THE BOMBING STARTED, THE PLAN WAS TO EVACUATE THE HARBOR. OUR SKIPPER. STAYED ABOARD. I DON’T KNOW WHY, BUT IT JUST HAPPENED TO. SO WE. IT’S ONE STEP UP. THEY WERE ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE RAID. THEY MANAGED TO GET THE SAINT LOUIS OUT OF THE HARBOR. IT TOOK FIVE THINGS. TEN THINGS TO GO RIGHT TO GET YOU OUT OF THERE. OH, CHECK THIS OUT. TOOK YOU AN HOUR TO GET OUT OF THERE. YEAH. HOW FRIGHTENED WERE YOU? NOT FRIGHTENED. HE SAID HE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW YOU WERE TOO BUSY TO GET FRIGHTENED. YEAH, YOU CAN THINK OF IT AS HAPPY BIRTH DAY TO YOU. SO, WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR YOUR 107TH BIRTHDAY? HOW DOES. HE’S A GREAT GUY. HE’S A SPECTACULAR GUY. I LOVE THAT, JUST THE TWO OF YOU. JUST BECAUSE IT’S, YOU KNOW, IT’S 1941. IT’S BELIEVED THERE ARE FEWER THAN 20 LIVING SURVIVORS OF THE ATTACK. AND AND WHILE IT’S AN IMPERFECT SCIENCE, WHO IS THE OLDEST OF THEM, HE IS CLEARLY IN THE I

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One of the oldest known living Pearl Harbor survivors celebrates 106th birthday on Cape Cod

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Updated: 2:56 PM CDT Mar 19, 2026

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Freeman Johnson, one of the oldest known living Pearl Harbor survivors, recently celebrated a milestone birthday with loved ones in MassachusettsBoston sister station WCVB recently received a letter from Diane Johnson, who said her father, who lives in Centerville, Massachusetts, would be turning 106 on March 11.Johnson wrote that her father is a good man, a humble man, and the oldest living Pearl Harbor survivor.Meet Navy Machinist First Class Freeman Johnson in the video player at the top.According to posts on Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday, Pacific Historic Parks, which is the “official cooperating association of the National Park Service at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial,” Johnson is believed to be the oldest living Pearl Harbor survivor.”On December 7, 1941, Freeman was serving aboard USS St. Louis at Pearl Harbor. The ship had just completed important repairs, but boiler #7 needed to be reassembled before the ship could get underway. That reassembly was Freeman’s job. By the time he got topside, USS St. Louis was out to sea,” Pacific Historic Parks – USS Arizona Memorial wrote on Facebook.Friends and loved ones gathered this week at the Barnstable Adult Community Center in Barnstable, Massachusetts, to celebrate Johnson’s birthday. In a post on its Facebook page, the community center said, “Honored to have been part of Mr. Johnson’s 106th Birthday Celebration. Congratulations to the oldest living Barnstable resident and oldest living Pearl Harbor survivor.”In another social media post, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Veterans Services, said that state Veteran Services Secretary Eric Goralnick presented Johnson with official citations from Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, and from the Executive Office of Veterans Services.

Freeman Johnson, one of the oldest known living Pearl Harbor survivors, recently celebrated a milestone birthday with loved ones in Massachusetts

Boston sister station WCVB recently received a letter from Diane Johnson, who said her father, who lives in Centerville, Massachusetts, would be turning 106 on March 11.

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Johnson wrote that her father is a good man, a humble man, and the oldest living Pearl Harbor survivor.

Meet Navy Machinist First Class Freeman Johnson in the video player at the top.

According to posts on Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday, Pacific Historic Parks, which is the “official cooperating association of the National Park Service at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial,” Johnson is believed to be the oldest living Pearl Harbor survivor.

“On December 7, 1941, Freeman was serving aboard USS St. Louis at Pearl Harbor. The ship had just completed important repairs, but boiler #7 needed to be reassembled before the ship could get underway. That reassembly was Freeman’s job. By the time he got topside, USS St. Louis was out to sea,” Pacific Historic Parks – USS Arizona Memorial wrote on Facebook.

Friends and loved ones gathered this week at the Barnstable Adult Community Center in Barnstable, Massachusetts, to celebrate Johnson’s birthday.

In a post on its Facebook page, the community center said, “Honored to have been part of Mr. Johnson’s 106th Birthday Celebration. Congratulations to the oldest living Barnstable resident and oldest living Pearl Harbor survivor.”

In another social media post, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Veterans Services, said that state Veteran Services Secretary Eric Goralnick presented Johnson with official citations from Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, and from the Executive Office of Veterans Services.

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