He bought a painting from a fallen WWII sailor’s son. What happened next is remarkable

EDITOR’S NOTE: This episode originally aired on May 3, 2026. We are reposting it because of Veteran’s Day last week. “It’s Worth Mentioning” will return with a new episode on Nov. 22.

A spur-of-the-moment decision to listen to a World War II audiobook led to an unexpected friendship, a remarkable piece of American history and a meaningful connection between a Tennessee family and a classroom in rural Idaho.

Jess Johnson, a history teacher at Mackay High School, was traveling with his wife last summer when they listened to a story about the USS Indianapolis. Among the 1,200 men aboard was Lt. Cmdr. Earl Henry, the ship’s dentist and a talented painter who created a striking image of an American eagle attacking a serpent against a backdrop of the American flag.

Henry was killed when a Japanese submarine torpedoed the Indianapolis in August 1945. But he had mailed the painting home before the attack, preserving what would become an important piece of wartime history.

Fascinated by the story, Johnson ordered a reproduction of the painting. That purchase led to a phone call with Henry’s son, Earl Henry Jr., and the beginning of a long-distance friendship that has since become part of Johnson’s classroom.

On this episode of “It’s Worth Mentioning,” Rett Nelson visits Johnson and his students to explore the story behind the painting and the unlikely friendship it inspired.

Henry Jr. also joins the show to share memories of his father, his first encounter with the painting and his efforts to preserve his father’s legacy. He explains how a phone call with an Idaho teacher turned into a relationship that now touches the lives of students thousands of miles away.

It’s a fascinating blend of World War II history, family legacy and an unexpected friendship. It’s an episode you won’t want to miss!

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