Harrison’s Heroes

By Rebecca Schwab

Giving up a Memorial Day weekend vacation to Cancun, Mexico might upset a lot of people, but not fourth-grader Harrison Johnson.

That booth was for his fundraising effort, Harrison’s Heroes, at the Hasentree Country Club’s Memorial Day celebration in his home state of North Carolina. Harrison may only be 9-years-old, but his sights are set on a serious goal: to raise $100,000 through Harrison’s Heroes for Pacific Historic Parks, in support of the Pearl Harbor National Memorial.

Harrison, who loves to rock climb, swim, and play golf, had never done a fundraiser before. His idea for Harrison’s Heroes all started with a third-grade history project.

“I had to pick a US landmark,” Harrison said. “I chose the Pearl Harbor National Memorial because back then I didn’t really know what it was, I didn’t know what happened there, [or] why it was a memorial.”

The things he learned while doing his school project intrigued him so much that he wanted to see Pearl Harbor for himself. In the spring of 2022, Harrison traveled with his family to Oahu, Hawaii to visit the memorial, an experience he said inspired him to start fundraising in support of the site.

“I was there, and the thought just came to me,” Harrison said. “It’s important so that people my age can learn about the heroes of the Pearl Harbor attack.”

One of those heroes, he said, is USS Arizona survivor Lou Conter. Conter was a 20-year-old sailor from Colorado who was on the quarterdeck of the USS Arizona on the morning of December 7, 1941. After a bomb hit and caused a massive explosion in the forward part of the ship, Conter helped other wounded men - pulling many out of the fire - until he heard the sound to abandon ship.

“I read his book,” Harrison said. “I thought it was a great book. People my age think heroes come from comic books and movies, but my heroes are the people who served in the Pearl Harbor attack.”

It’s stories like these that Harrison wants to make sure his generation hears. That’s why he’s leaving no stone unturned in his effort to raise funds - from golf tournaments, to restaurants like Chipotle and Panera, to knocking door-to-door.

“I sometimes go house to house, going out with my cards, which say a little about myself and Harrison’s Heroes,” he said.

Harrison’s mother, Cheznee Johnson, said that at first she was a little unsure about the amount of money he wanted to raise.

“There was hesitation on my part,” she said with a laugh. “ But he was pretty firm. That was the amount. This might be a long road, but … he’s not going to stop until he reaches that goal, even if it’s a multi-year effort. We’re so proud and we hope it makes the impact that he intends.”

So what would Harrison like to see Pacific Historic Parks do with the funds?

“I hope they might make a display to show the heroes of the Pearl Harbor National Memorial to children,” Harrison said.

As of September 20th, Harrison’s Heroes has received $11,420 in donations. To find out more about Harrison’s Heroes and to donate, go to www.pacifichistoricparks. org and click on “ways to give.”