Ralph H. Johnson
Ralph Henry Johnson | |
---|---|
1st Marine Division | |
Battles/wars | Vietnam War † |
Awards | Medal of Honor Purple Heart |
Ralph Henry Johnson (January 11, 1949 – March 5, 1968) was a
Biography
Ralph Johnson was born on January 11, 1949, in Charleston, South Carolina. He attended Courtney Elementary School and C.A. Brown High School in Charleston, South Carolina.
Johnson enlisted in the
Upon completion of
In January 1968, he arrived in the
On March 5, 1968, while on Operation Rock, a four-day operation by the
Decorations and honors
Military decorations
A complete list of his medals and decorations includes: the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze stars, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, the Vietnamese Military Merit Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Medal of Honor | ||
Purple Heart | National Defense Service Medal | Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze stars |
Vietnam Military Merit Medal
|
Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm
|
Vietnam Campaign Medal |
Honors
The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, South Carolina, formerly the Charleston VA Medical Center, was renamed in honor of PFC Johnson, with a formal dedication on September 5, 1991.[2][3] Johnson's Medal of Honor, along with his Medal of Honor citation and a portrait of him, is framed and on public display at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center's front lobby.
On February 15, 2012, the Navy announced that a new
Johnson's name is inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial ("The Wall") in Washington, D.C., on Panel 43E, Line 008.[6]
Medal of Honor citation
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
- For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a reconnaissance scout with Company A, First Reconnaissance Battalion, First Marine Division in action against the hand grenade landed in the three- man fighting hole occupied by Private First Class Johnson and two fellow Marines. Realizing the inherent danger to his comrades, he shouted a warning and unhesitatingly hurled himself upon the explosive device. When the grenade exploded, Private First Class Johnson absorbed the tremendous impact of the blast and was killed instantly. His prompt and heroic act saved the life of one Marine at the cost of his own and undoubtedly prevented the enemy from penetrating his sector of the patrol's perimeter. Private First Class Johnson's courage inspiring valor and selfless devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.[7]
/S/ RICHARD M. NIXON
See also
Noted
- ^ ISBN 0160491258.
- ^ "PFC Ralph H. Johnson, USMC – Charleston VAMC". Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved 2007-11-10.
- ^ "Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center". Facilities and Locator Directory. Department of Veterans Affairs. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09. Retrieved 2007-11-10.
- ^ http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/Navy_destroyers_named_after_Hawaii_heros.html?id=139381193 [dead link]
- ^ Blakeney, Barney (March 21, 2018). "Navy Destroyer Ralph H. Johnson To Be Commissioned". The Charleston Chronicle. Archived from the original on March 21, 2018. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Ralph Henry Johnson, USMC", Virtual Wall.
- ^ "PFC Ralph H. Johnson", Marines Awarded the Medal of Honor.
References
- This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
- "Private First Class Ralph H. Johnson, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2007-10-25.
- "Medal of Honor – PFC Ralph H. Johnson (Medal of Honor citation)". Marines Awarded the Medal of Honor. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2007-01-03. Retrieved 2006-04-16.
- "Ralph Henry Johnson, USMC". VirtualWall.org. Retrieved 2006-04-16.
Further reading
- Greene, Robert Ewell (1974). Black Defenders of America, 1775-1973. Chicago: Johnson Publishing Company, Inc.
External links
- Botch, Robert E. (January 1998). "PFC Ralph Johnson, USMC". Political Science Department, University of South Carolina-Aiken. Retrieved 2006-04-16.
- "Johnson, Ralph H." Medal of Honor recipients – Vietnam. United States Army Center of Military History. July 16, 2007. Archived from the original on 2009-06-27. Retrieved 2007-10-25.
- Ralph Henry Johnson at Find a Grave