Ed Johann, a resident at Marquis Newberg is no stranger to making heroic choices. He was one of the first residents in Oregon to be vaccinated for COVID-19, but this selfless act is just the latest of many.

In 1941, when Ed was just 17 years old, he enlisted in the Navy and was sent to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, where he was assigned to a thirty-foot motor launch. On Dec. 7, 1941, while shuttling Navy men to and from their ships, he heard the sound of airplanes but couldn’t see any, and since it was Sunday assumed it must be a drill. In the chaos that we now know to be the World War II attack on Pearl Harbor, and despite the torpedoes and bombs exploding all around him, Ed stayed at his post. He helped pick up countless men from the water around the stricken battleships and transported them to the hospital ship USS Solace. For his efforts, Ed received a commendation medal for heroism.

Get right in there and get it. There’s nothing to it.

When asked what message he wanted to send to fellow residents and senior care staff who might have hesitations about taking the vaccine, Ed said, “Get right in there and get it. There’s nothing to it.” A brave encouragement from a brave man.