A Bronze Star

By Jim Joanos

The Bronze Star

The lady spread her son's medals on the table. The Bronze Star, an Army medal that I recognized that is awarded for heroic or meritorious achievement, was in the midst of them. I looked at it, then at her. She had an enigmatic, mysterious smile. There was pride, sadness, and happiness, all at the same time. I was there to write a story about her war hero son who had died heroically for our country. In that moment, the lady became a hero to me, also.

Johnnie Stephens

That event happened about eight years ago when I was writing about Johnnie Stephens, Jr., the iron-man center who had played for Coach Bill Peterson and the Seminoles in the mid-sixties, and who had been killed leading his platoon in Vietnam in 1969. Last month, when I read in the obituaries about the death of that lady, Johnnie's mother, Dorothy Brooks Echols Stephens, the several moments that I had spent with her in 2003 came vividly back to me.

In my article, I said this about that visit: "She lives modestly in a small house surrounded by photographs and mementoes of the very happy life that she has enjoyed. She is very, very proud of not only the son who died for his country, but of his three sisters and their families and accomplishments. She is gray haired now but sparkles in a youthful way as she speaks of the days when her only son was a star athlete. It is very easy to see why Johnnie's friends and teammates would be so willing to adopt her as a second mother. In the very short time that I visited with her, I came away enriched and refreshed. Just a few minutes around that wonderful lady made me feel real good about the world."

Mrs. Stephens' obituary said it well: "Loving was probably her greatest gift of all. It took only a few minutes for a stranger to fall in love with her...Her joy for life and laughter was infectious. Her compassion and generosity touched everyone."

In the days since I read Mrs. Stephens' obituary, I have also thought about that Bronze Star and what it must have meant to Mrs. Stephens and her husband who had died a few years before I wrote the article. It represented the life of the son that had been sacrificed in war for our country.

Johnnie P. Stephens, Jr., was born in Starkville, Mississippi, but lived in Tallahassee from the second grade on. He was fond of sports, dogs, and outdoor life. At Leon High School, he was a star football and baseball player. Heavily recruited by a number of colleges, he decided to stay in Tallahassee and play football at Florida State.

In 1963, first year football players at FSU had to play on the freshman team. Stephens did so along with some other men you might have heard of like T.K. Wetherell, Del Williams, Kim Hammond, and Wayne McDuffie. In 1964, he was the long snapper and back-up center for that first "great" FSU team that beat the University of Florida for the first time and took the first trip ever to the Gator Bowl where they demolished Oklahoma. He was the center for the 1965 team and did something that very few people have ever done on any team anywhere, in that he played every single offensive play of the entire season. That was a special feat for the undersized, 6 foot 1 inch, 190 pound center. He finished his career as he started it, as a team leader as he starred and served as game captain several times during the 1966 season.

Johnnie was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Army upon graduation from FSU in 1967. Mrs. Stephens described Johnnie's military commitment as "being in the Army was just something that he had to do." After a short training period, Johnnie was sent to Vietnam as a platoon leader.

Johnnie Perry Stephens, Jr., died as he had lived, as a leader of men. Early on the morning of April 22, 1969, U.S. Army Lieutenant Stephens, age twenty-three, was leading his platoon in a search and clear mission near the village of Duc Tan, in northern South Vietnam when he was mortally wounded. Thus, came to an end, in a far away land, the life of one of Florida State's most overachieving athletes.

For those of us who believe in the hereafter, this story has a happy ending. Mrs. Stephens has now been united with her husband and that heroic son. I can see that smile now, but there is no sadness in it, just pride and happiness. Thank you, Mrs. Stephens, for making this place a better place.