Hansford T. Johnson

General Hansford T. Johnson was born in 1936, in Aiken, South Carolina. He graduated from high school in 1953 and then attended Clemson College. He was the outstanding graduate in thermodynamics and aerodynamics from the United States Air Force Academy in 1959, received a master's degree in aeronautics from Stanford University in 1967 and a master's degree in business from the University of Colorado in 1970. The general has also graduated from the Air Force Squadron Officer School, Army Command and General Staff College, National War College, and the advanced management program at Dartmouth College.

After graduation from the Academy, Johnson attended flight training at Bartow Air Base, Florida, and then Laredo Air Force Base, Texas, receiving his pilot wings in 1960. His first operational assignment was to the 317th Troop Carrier Wing, Evreux-Fauville Air Base, France, where he flew C-130 Hercules transports throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East and West Asia. He continued flying with the 317th when it transferred to Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio.

After completing graduate school at Stanford University, General Johnson volunteered for duty in Vietnam. In 1967 he flew as a forward air controller, and directed tactical close air support strike missions against enemy supply, storage, vehicle and troop targets. During his tour, he flew 423 combat missions, 71 of which were over North Vietnam or the demilitarized zone. After returning from Vietnam, he served as an assistant professor of aeronautics at the United States Air Force Academy, and then served as a Wing Commander and on the staff of Strategic Air Command.

From 1982 to 1985, he led the team that successfully rebalanced the Air Force programs in the $100 billion annual Air Force Budget, then led Strategic Air Command operations in 1985, where he directed the refueling and strategic reconnaissance forces during the bombing of Libya.

Following his tour in SAC, General Johnson became the Vice Commander of the Pacific Air Forces. In 1987, he became the Deputy Commander in Chief of U.S. Central Command during Operation Earnest Will, the U.S. reflagging of Kuwaiti oil tankers and escort operations in the Persian Gulf. Following his tour in Central Command, Mr. Johnson served the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as Director of the Joint Staff.

The general ended his military career as the dual-hatted Commander of U.S. Transportation Command and Commander of Military Airlift Command. Military forces under his command provided all airlift and special operations forces for Operation Just Cause, Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. The movement of troops, equipment, and supplies to and from the Persian Gulf being the most concentrated movement in American military history. General Johnson retired from active duty on August 31, 1992.

Awards and decorations

The general is a command pilot with more than 7,800 flying hours, more than 1,000 of which were flown under combat conditions. He is also a qualified navigator and parachutist. His military awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 22 oak leaf clusters, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy-Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and three oak leaf clusters, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, Combat Readiness Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with service star, Vietnam Service Medal with three service stars, Humanitarian Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal First Class with service star and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Later work

On August 3, 2001, President George W. Bush nominated Johnson to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Environment) and he was sworn in four days later. The President directed him to assume the duties as the Acting Secretary of the Navy on February 7, 2003.

Prior to his nomination to serve in the Bush administration, Johnson served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) in Madison, Wisconsin. He also served as President and CEO of EG&G Technical Service and later of EG&G when purchased by The Carlyle Group.

External links

* [http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/people/secnav/johnsonht/johnsonhtbio-acting.html Official United States Navy bio]
* [http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=5962 Official U.S. Air Force bio]