Earl V. Johnson
Earl Vincent Johnson was born on 28 December 1913 in Winthrop, Minnesota.Eldest child of Dr Otto F. and Salma E. Johnson. He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on 31 August 1937, and began naval aviation training the next year. He reported to Scouting Squadron 5 (VS-5) on board USS Yorktown on 18 September 1939, and received a regular commission the following year.
Earl Vincent Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 28 December 1913 Winthrop, Minnesota |
| Died | 8 May 1942 Coral Sea |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1937–1942 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | USS Yorktown (CV-5) |
| Battles/wars | Battle of the Coral Sea |
| Awards | Navy Cross |
He was detached from the squadron in March 1942 and assigned to the ship's company. During the Battle of the Coral Sea, he flew a SBD 3 Dauntless Dive Bomber with Yorktown's Scouting 5 squadron, attacking Japanese shipping in Tulagi Harbor and aircraft carriers in the Coral Sea. Lieutenant Johnson was lost in aerial combat on 8 May, and awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism.
In 1943, the destroyer escort USS Earl V. Johnson (DE-702) was named in honor of Lt Johnson, sponsored by his mother, Mrs. Selma E. Johnson along with his brother, Lt Curtiss S. Johnson, US Army.
See also
References
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.