Retired Navy Chief Petty Officer John Ballard, Pearl Harbor survivor, stands with friend in front of his World War II dress uniform and photo on a U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton honor wall. Valley News/Mary Edmundson photo
John Ballard, a Pearl Harbor survivor and a Navy medic, turned 100 years old recently.The retired Navy chief petty officer can be found walking around with aid of his walker with his wife Gloria greeting his many friends and fellow veterans at The Village Retirement Home in Hemet. He lost hearing in one ear and only has partial hearing in the other; however, he does clearly remember that fateful day in December 1941.Who is a hero? In my book, I see a true hero who says he is not a hero but praises his fellow man for their heroic deeds.Here is what Ballard said during a virtual interview granted by his daughter Mary Edmundson, a Valle Vista resident, and friend John Decker. A direct interview was not possible because of the current stay-at-home orders and medical restrictions th
