Roy Johnston was born in Emma, Louisiana and grew up in various settlements in the northwest of the state. His father farmed and ran a cotton gin, but had difficulty making a living during the Great Depression. When he was 17, Johnston figured he could help the family financially if he joined the three Cs [Annotator’s Note: Civilian Conservation Corps, a depression-era work relief program], and went to the west coast for a stint before returning to Pleasant Hill, Louisiana. It was there that Johnston learned about the attack on Pearl Harbor. Johnston remembered recognizing that the country was at war, and asking his captain for a pass to go home before the Army got him. When his draft notice arrived, he pre-empted the call by enlisting in the Navy. His basic training was completed in five weeks at Great Lakes, Illinois. Johnston was assigned to the USS Bowditch (AG-30).

Roy Johnston recalled that the USS Bowditch (AG-30) had been a luxury liner with wood decks and for about two months Johnston stood fire watch while metal decks were welded in place of the wood. The ship left in early 1942 with a convoy, but immediately experienced generator trouble, and went back to dry dock in New York. It was also fitted with depth charges at that time, so that it could be a fighting ship as well as a working ship. On its next run, it had more mechanical trouble, but the Bowditch finally went to the Caribbean for survey work. Johnston sewed canvas sheeting, spliced cable, and would sometimes go out with a land crew to put up signals. He remembered making buoys out of improvised 55-gallon drums. From the Caribbean, the Bowditch traveled through the Panama Canal, only to experience engine trouble and come back through for repairs. Johnston went on a two week leave and got married. He didn't see his wife for two years after the nuptials. When he returned to the ship, the Bowditch made its third crossing of the Panama Canal and went to Guam, which was already secured, for supplies, then went from island to island surveying shipping lanes. At first, Johnston's battle station was manning a three-inch gun, but he was later moved a 20mm gun on the fantail, where he stayed for the rest of his tour. Johnston said the ship was often under attack by Kamikazes, but never got hit. He noted that a Kamikaze would rather hit an aircraft carrier or cruiser or battleship, than a less threatening craft like the Bowditch.

The worst fighting Roy Johnston experienced was at Okinawa. That's where he had his introduction to the Kamikaze attacks. But he also said there were often big bombers overhead, especially on cloudy days or at night. Johnston feels that the USS Bowditch (AG-30) was fortunate in escaping a hit. Once, they had to call for help when a sub was trailing them, and a destroyer showed up and took care of it. Johnston thought his living quarters and mess aboard ship were good, and can remember getting cookies and hot beverages brought to him when he was manning a battle station and had missed chow. He also said there would always be a big laugh on somebody once all was secured after a battle. Johnston was ashore on Okinawa, waiting to be shipped back to the United States for new construction, when word came about the atomic bombs. His reassignment was cancelled; he spent three weeks getting back to the United States, and was discharged from New Orleans, Louisiana as a Boson's Mate 2nd Class [Annotator's Note: Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class or BM2c)].

When Roy Johnston returned to his wife's home place, he took a job at the International Paper Company where his spouse was already working. The couple bought a used car, there were no new ones to be had, nor were there tires available if one was needed, They also purchased his wife's parents' property without using the G.I Bill. Johnson had some difficulty adjusting to civilian life; he worked different shifts than his wife, and if she stole into the room while he was trying to sleep, he would be reminded that on some of those islands, the Japanese would climb up anchor chains to board American ships. That tale brought up the memory of a time when he and his crew mates watched a Japanese man, suspected of bad intentions, hiding and diving around a cluster of buoys. The intruder evaded capture for quite a while before he was brought aboard for questioning. Johnston has visited the The National WWII Museum and thinks it is a fitting tribute to the men and women who fought the war.