George Owen Johnson

Infobox Military Person
name= George Owen Johnson
born= birth date|1896|1|24
died= death date and age|1980|3|28|1896|1|24
placeofbirth=Woodstock, Ontario, Canada
placeofdeath=Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
placeofburial=
nickname= G.O.
allegiance=flag|Canada|1921
serviceyears= 1913–1947
rank= Air Marshal
branch= flagicon|Canada|air force-1924 Royal Canadian Air Force
commands=
unit=
battles= World War I World War II
awards= Companion of the Order of the Bath Military Cross Croix de Guerre Légion d'honneur Legion of Merit King Haakon VII's Cross of Liberation (Norway)
laterwork=

Air Marshal George Owen Johnson CB, MC (January 24, 1896 – March 28, 1980) was a Canadian aviator.

World War I service

Born in Woodstock, Ontario in 1896, George Owen Johnson initially served as a subaltern with the Corps of School Cadet Instructors (CSCI) from 1913 to 1916. He was accepted for the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) in Canada, but transferred to the Royal Flying Corps before going overseas in May 1917. Serving with No. 84 Squadron he became an ace with one aircraft destroyed, two shared aircraft destroyed, and three 'out of control'. Later, serving with No.24 squadron, he was credited with one aircraft destroyed, one shared balloon destroyed, two 'out of control', and one shared aircraft captured [ [http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/canada/johnson2.php George Owen Johnson - The Aerodrome - Aces and Aircraft of World War I ] ] including Leut. Kurt Wüsthoff. [ [http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/wusthoff.php Kurt Wüsthoff - The Aerodrome - Aces and Aircraft of World War I ] ] . In total he was credited with 11 victories.

He served as a fighter pilot in Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 aircraft [ [http://storage.mfa.free.fr/SE5Auk.html restauration du SE5A ] ] on the Western Front -- in No. 84 Squadron RAF, 22 October 1917 to 18 April 1918; in No. 24 Squadron RAF, 18 April to 19 June 1918. He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) and Croix de Guerre avec Etoile en Bronze. After some months instructing in England in training squadrons (served at Training Depot Station (TDS) No.56, Cranwell, No.4 TDS, Hooton (Flight Commander and Instructor) and No.51 TDS, Shotworth), he was posted to No. 1 (Canadian) Squadron upon its formation overseas in November 1918.

His MC citation read in part: "He has destroyed two hostile machines, has driven down two others out of control, and has always displayed the greatest courage and coolness in the most difficult situations."

Interwar years

In July 1919 he returned to Canada and was commissioned as a Flight Lieutenant in the Canadian Air Force (CAF) in 1920 (His service number was 4 -- just four [ [http://www.pinetreeline.org/misc/other/misc6e.html The First 1,000 RCAF Service Numbers - Assorted Sources ] ] ), and appointed an Assistant Director of Flying Operations under Wing Commander Robert Leckie in the Air Board. He participated in the first trans-Canada flight (which started from Halifax, October 7, 1920) as a navigator. He commanded flying stations, commanded Station Winnipeg (May 1925 to August 1927), attended RAF Staff College, Andover, commanded CFB Trenton for two years; attended Imperial Defence College (1936–37) (now known as Royal College of Defence Studies), and became Assistant Director of Civil Government Air Operations. From June to December 1933 he was Acting Senior Air Officer, RCAF. In March 1938 appointed first Commanding Officer of Western Air Command, based in Vancouver at Jericho Beach Seaplane base. Throughout this period he was involved in the expansion of civil and military aviation, the use of aircraft in the exploration and mapping of Canada, and the creation of national and international air mail service. [ [http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/site/hist/inter_war_e.asp Canada's Air Force, History ] ]

World War II service

He was made Air Member for Organization and Training (October 1939) and began work on creating and executing the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, then served as Deputy Chief of Air Staff (November 1940), AOC No.1 Training Command of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (July 1942), [ [http://www.rcaf.com/archives/archives_features/bcatp/index.htm RCAF.com : Archives : British Commonwealth Air Training Plan ] ] AOC Eastern Air Command (January 1943), and AOC RCAF Overseas (April 1945 to July 1946). He was awarded the Commander of the Bath (Military), the Legion of Merit (Commander) and the Légion d'honneur (Commandeur) as a result of his WWII service. He retired as Air Marshal in 1947. He died in Vancouver, Canada, March 28, 1980.

His CB citation read in part: "Air Vice Marshal Johnson, as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, was responsible for the excellent planning and construction of the vast number of stations required for the successful operation of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan as well as the increased Home War plans."

Legacy

There was a school named in his honour at the The Royal Canadian Air Force base and training school in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. The Air Marshal Johnson School opened its doors in 1949 and served as an elementary school for the children of Canadian Forces personnel from Kindergarten through Grade IX until the base was closed in 1989. [ [http://www.archives.pe.ca/peiain/fondsdetail.asp?fonds=Acc4038 Prince Edward Island Archival Information Network ] ]

According to Air Marshal Robert Leckie: "During Air Marshal Johnson's many senior appointments in the Royal Canadian Air Force, including his responsibilities in such positions as Deputy Chief of Air Staff, and Air Officer Commanding in Chief of Eastern Air Command and the Royal Canadian Air Force Overseas, he at all times was considered a brilliant leader and an inspiration to those with whom he came in contact." [ [http://www.airforce.ca/wwii/ALPHA-JO.html JOB, FS Allan Dixon (R53004) - Mention in Despatches - No ] ]

References

"Another Kind of Justice: Canadian Military Law from Confederation to Somalia" Published in 1999 by UBC Press. Author Chris Madsen ISBN 0774807199 (page 91).

External links

* [http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/canada/johnson2.php TheAerodrome.com WWI memorial site]
* [http://www.airforce.ca/wwi/GONG-5.I-L.html Royal Canadian Air Force honours list WWI]
* [http://www.airforce.ca/wwii/ALPHA-JO.html Royal Canadian Air Force honours list WWII]
* [http://www.pinetreeline.org/misc/other/misc6e.html RCAF service number]
* [http://collections.civilization.ca/public/objects/common/webmedia.php?irn=34986 His portrait at The Canadian War Museum -- Image not public domain]