James K. Johnson
James K. Johnson | |
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Army Commendation Medal | |
| Spouse(s) | Sylvia[1] |
James Kenneth Johnson (May 30, 1916 – August 22, 1997) was a colonel in the United States Air Force. In the Korean War he was a double ace, credited with shooting down ten enemy aircraft. He also had one "kill" in World War II, when he was a lieutenant colonel. He received numerous awards, including the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Early life and education
Johnson was born on May 30, 1916, in
Military career
From 1940 until October 1943, he was the Squadron Commander of the
After World War II, Johnson served at
During the
From when the war ended in 1953 until September 1956, Johnson worked at the Air Force headquarters in
Later life and death
James Johnson had four daughters (Jaye, Margaret, Patricia and Judith) with his first wife Mary Ellen and two children (Sherri and James Jr.) with his second wife Lorraine. He has several grandchildren including Jennifer Rachel Hecker, and great-grandchildren including Forest Shannon Hecker and Reed Bennett Hecker. In 1979, Johnson was remarried to his wife Sylvia, with
He died on August 22, 1997, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[3]
Awards and legacy
On November 12, 1953, Johnson was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star for actions on June 30 and May 17, 1953, respectively.[1] He also received two awards of the Legion of Merit and three of the Distinguished Flying Cross.[2]
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Command pilot badge
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Distinguished Service Cross |
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Silver Star |
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Legion of Merit with bronze oak leaf cluster |
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Distinguished Flying Cross with two bronze oak leaf clusters |
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Air Medal with three silver and bronze oak leaf clusters |
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Air Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster (second ribbon required for accouterment spacing) |
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Army Commendation Medal |
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Air Force Presidential Unit Citation with three bronze oak leaf clusters |
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Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with bronze oak leaf cluster
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American Defense Service Medal with one service star |
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American Campaign Medal with one service star |
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European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with silver and bronze campaign stars
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World War II Victory Medal |
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Army of Occupation Medal |
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National Defense Service Medal with one service star |
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Korean Service Medal with silver campaign stars |
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Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver oak leaf cluster
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French Croix de Guerre with Palm
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Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
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United Nations Service Medal for Korea
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Korean War Service Medal |
While he commanded the 43rd Bomb Wing, he became the first and only wing commander to win the Blériot,
The Johnson Dining Facility at Kadena Air Base is named for Johnson.[5]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Valor awards for James K. Johnson". Hall of Valor. MilitaryTimes. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f "Eagle Biography: James K. Johnson". Maxwell Air Force Base: Air University. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f "James K. Johnson". Veteran Tributes. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
- ^ Swopes, Bryan (May 10, 2013). "10 May 1961". This Day in Aviation. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
- ^ "Kadena Air Base – Facility Names". Kadena Air Base. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
Further reading
- ISBN 978-1-4728-0056-5. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
- Edwards, Paul M. (2006). Korean War Almanac. ISBN 978-0-8160-7467-9. Retrieved 12 August 2013.