Chris Snow, left, holds the baseball he sent to his uncle, Capt. Keith Johnson, that now has autographs from military leaders.(Jon Giffin The Vicksburg Post)

[12/8/03]When Chris Snow found out his uncle, Keith Johnson, was going to Iraq, he wanted to do something special for him. Now, the favor’s been returned.

Chris, a 12-year-old sixth- grader at Warren Central Intermediate, played baseball for the Vicksburg Hurricanes. He decided to hit a home run just for his uncle before Johnson headed off to the war zone.

“I wanted to give him something to remember us by and keep him safe,” Chris said.

So, on March 14, the first game of the season and Chris’ second time at bat, the youngster knocked one over.

He signed the ball and listed the game Hurricanes versus Magee the date and his name, and wrote, “Home run ball for Uncle Keith. Let Freedom Ring.”

He and his family sent the ball to Johnson.

But Capt. Johnson, 32, didn’t keep the ball tucked away. He decided to do something equally special for Chris.

Johnson’s duties include providing security for U.S. Central Command, and that puts him close to high-ranking military officials.

So during his nearly eight-month deployment overseas, he had military bigwigs sign the ball for Chris.

“Since I was going to be working with these folks on a daily basis, I thought it would be a good idea to have them sign it,” Johnson said. “And when I’d explain the situation, they were glad to sign it.”

The signatures on the baseball now include those of retired Gen. Tommy Franks, who was commander of U.S. Central Command during much of the war; Franks’ replacement, Gen. John Abizaid; deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, Maj. Gen. Steven Whitcomb; deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, Lt. Gen. M.P. DeLong; and Brig. Gen. James Schwitters, director of Joint Security.

“That was pretty special for me,” Chris said. “And I liked that very much.”

Along with the signatures, the ball now says, “Operation Iraqi Freedom. To the Persian Gulf and back. Your thoughts kept me safe! Capt. Keith Johnson.”

“I thought it would be a nice treat for him,” Johnson said. “Something to remember, not only his home-run ball, but a piece of history.”

Johnson and his wife, Cheryl, lived in Vicksburg but moved in July to Tampa, Fla., for Johnson’s latest assignment. But they traveled to Vicksburg during the weekend for a family member’s birthday and to present Chris with the baseball.

The new keepsake is one Chris says won’t return to the playing field. He’ll keep it in a safe place in his room.