A long time ago I asked my dad if my name was a family name. Dad told me a story about the ship he was on during World War Two, The Troop Ship Mendocino. Dad went on talking about some of his shipmates, and one in particular, Kenny Johansson. That's pronounced as Yohansson, very Swedish. Dad told me Kenny was probably one of the nicest guys he has ever known. Kenny was raised by a neighbor family after his parents were killed in a car wreck. Kenny was about five when all this happened, and as soon as he could, he joined the Navy, "To see the world". That's who I was named after, one of the nicest guys dad ever knew.
When my son, Karson was about seventeen, he was dating a girl named Sara Linder. Sara lived up in the Apple Hill area here in El Dorado County. Karson didn't date Sara very long, but long enough that we all went up to her home and had dinner with the family. It was a small home, but on lots of property and it had been in the family for a very long time.
When everyone took seats for dinner I ended up sitting with Grandpa Linder. During dinner ,I was trying to find subjects that would carry some conversation. With Grandpa Linder leading most of the talking, we ended up talking about World War Two. I was telling Grandpa Linder about my dad serving on a ship in the South Pacific. Grandpa Linder told me that his brother served in that area also. We both thought that this wasn't too uncommon. After all it was a big war and lots of people were there. That is until Grandpa Linder said the ship his brother served on was the Troop Ship Mendiceno, and that his brothers name was Kenny.
So I'm thinking to myself, Kenny, with the last name of Linder. Close, but no match. I was telling Grandpa Linder about the man I was named after and Grandpa broke in saying, Kenny was probably the nicest brother a guy could have. Then he started telling me about how Kenny's parents were killed in a car wreck and Grandpa Linders Mom and Dad took Kenny in and raised him as there own son, but they had him keep his own family name, Johansson. Yep, one of the nicest brothers a guy could have had. Joined the Navy as soon as he was old enough. To see the World, that's what he said.
