KINGS BAY, GA, U.S.A.
U.S. NAVY
PETTY OFFICER 3RD CLASS
05/07/2013, BAHRAIN
A U.S. sailor stationed in Bahrain was struck and killed by a car on a busy highway Tuesday, May 7, 2013. He died at the scene. Killed was 23 year old Petty Officer Third Class Johnny Oliver.
“The loss of this shipmate is certainly felt within NSF and NSA, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family,” said CPT Colin Walsh, NSA Bahrain commander.
Johnny Oliver was from the tiny town of Fancy Farm, KY. He graduated from Graves County High School in nearby Mayfield in 2008. He learned to play guitar at 15, and played it in church.“He was a natural,” said his aunt, Angie Boren
At 17 Johnny Oliver knew he wanted to join the U.S. Navy, explained Angie Boren. She and his uncle signed permission for him to enlist and begin training when he turned 18. After boot camp, he was stationed in Texas, California and Greece before being posted to Kings Bay, GA in March 2012.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Johnny Oliver was a master-at-arms and had reported to Naval Support Activity Bahrain five weeks prior to his death. He was currently enrolled in the Naval Security Forces Academy on base.
PO3 Oliver married University of North Florida student Jazmin Oliver in March just before he deployed. He promised that the couple would have a big wedding for their families once he redeployed in December.
“He came into my life very unexpectedly and just swept me off my feet,” Jazmin Oliver said. “Nothing is going to be the same. I can’t really remember my life before Johnny.”
Friends at Oliver’s boyhood home in Kentucky learned something was wrong with Johnny through social media. Someone in Bahrain posted a message on PO3 Oliver’s page. Family and friends were shocked by the news.
“I still can’t fathom this,” Jazmin said. “I don’t- to me, none of this is really happening. It doesn’t really feel real to me.”
Jazmin said her husband had sent her a text message just minutes before he died, telling her he loved her. She said letting her know she was special was something he did every day.
Jazmin wears a bracelet in loving memory of Johnny, the man she called her “honeybee.” She also wears a sailor symbol around her neck. She said she hopes others will hear her story and remember to keep their loved ones close.
“It could happen to them. It could happen to anybody,” she said. “So maybe people will just not take that for granted.”