Skiers with guns
Ray Johnson was born in Rose Lake in 1924.
At age 9, he moved to Coeur d’Alene along with four brothers and a sister. The family’s homestead bordered on Lake Coeur d'Alene’s Cougar Bay and extended west up Cougar Ridge. At that time, Cougar Bay was a large meadow.
His father built several barns, one of which is still standing — the iconic red barn easily seen from U.S. 95 heading south. The barn was built in 1941, and Ray did some of the finishing work inside.
He was 17 and a senior at Coeur d'Alene High School when WWII broke out. He wanted to join the Army, but was too young. So, along with some buddies, they received special consideration from the school to go up to Farragut Naval Training Station to help enlarge that facility. In wasn’t long before he received a draft notice. In 1943 he went to Salt Lake City to be inducted as ordered.
During basic and advanced infantry training, a call went out for men who could ski. Ray could do that, so he signed up. He was sent to a training camp up the Rockies from Leadville, Colo. On completion of the training, he was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division. The training was beyond rigorous. He never imagined what the next three years of his life would be like, especially the fame his unit would achieve.
The "10th” arrived in Italy in December 1944. Two infantry assaults had failed to destroy a German stronghold in the Apennine Alps at Riva Ridge. From this vantage point the Germans controlled a 120-mile-long series of roads vital to movement in North Italy. After much planning, the attack on the ridge started in early February 1945 with the scaling of a 1,500 foot cliff. The ridge was secured after several days fighting without any deaths to the Division.
Despite the armistice negotiated in September 1945, there was continued armed resistance. A Nazi controlled radio station 70 miles into the Alps was run by Yugoslavs that continued to broadcast pleas for Germans to continue the fight. Ray, now a technical sergeant, was to be part of the squad sent to eliminate the radio station. This was accomplished with minimal casualties.
When the Italian Alps were eventually secured, the 10th was sent home. Here, they trained for an invasion of Japan. Ray recalls that when the armistice with Japan was signed, he was in Salt Lake City. When they heard the news, they could not find a bar in which celebrate.
Ray is now 99 years old. For many years he kept track of the over 200 Idaho citizens that served in the 10th Mountain Division. He is now aware that he is the last survivor. With great poise he avoids discussing involvement in actual combat. The 10th Mountain served only four months in combat but sustained a high casualty rate for their time in Italy.
Ray returned to his life in Coeur d’Alene which included the large Johnson farming family. In 2007 Ray participated in the documentary film “Fire on the Mountain," a history of the 10th during WWII. He is surrounded by good friends.
The Museum of North Idaho (MONI) continues to restore the J.C. White house next to McEuen Park. Walk by this weekend to view the progress being made on the exterior. More importantly, become a MONI member to show your interest in our rich history.
Richard Sheldon is a member of the Museum of North Idaho board of directors.
