Gerald Walter Johnson

Military
Major Gerald Johnson, of the 56th Fighter Group, climbs into the cockpit of his P-47 Thunderbolt. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Maj. Gerald Johnson. MIA - France.' media-401257.jpg FRE 2505 Major Gerald Johnson, of the 56th Fighter Group, climbs into the cockpit of his P-47 Thunderbolt. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Maj. Gerald Johnson. MIA - France.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 2505 - Major Gerald Johnson, of the 56th Fighter Group, climbs into the cockpit of his P-47 Thunderbolt. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Maj. Gerald...

Gerald W Johnson was the first Ace pilot of the 56th Fighter Group and the second fighter ace in the European Group. In February 1944, he was promoted to Major and became flight leader of the 63rd Fighter Squadron.



He claimed 18 victories, flew 88 missions and achieved 196 combat hours before being shot down during a strafing mission on 27 March 1944. Johnson was taken Prisoner of War and liberated in May 1945.



Following the War, Johnson remained with the 56th Fighter Group at Selfridge Field, in command of the 62nd Fighter Squadron. He enjoyed a long career with the US Air Force, commanding the 8th Air Force during the Vietnam War and retiring as Inspector General in 1974.



Retired from the USAF with the rank of Lieutenant General.



18 Destroyed-2 Probables-3 Damaged

Connections

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Units served with

Aircraft

42-75232

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Power's Girl Pam
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 62nd Fighter Squadron 63rd Fighter Squadron
A P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft (serial number 42-76249), of the 56th Fighter Group. Handwritten on slide:"16 MM"

42-76249

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 63rd Fighter Squadron
Four ground crew demonstrate the different jobs that an aircraft's ground crew had to perform. One stands in the cockpit with radio equipment, another rubs down the barrels of one of the machine guns, another peers at the edge of the engine cowling and the fourth kneels beside the fuel drop tank. This was probably taken at Halesworth (Holton) air base where the 56th Fighter Group were based between 8 July 1943 and 18 April 1944. The P-47 Thunderbolt is one of the 61st Fighter Squadron's, marked with the c

42-7877

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: In The Mood- Jackson County Michigan Fighter
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 61st Fighter Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Owenton, KY, USA 10 July 1919

Enlisted

29 September 1942

Other

POW

Barth, Germany 27 March 1944 Stalag Luft I

Died

Pinellas County, FL, USA 9 September 2002

Buried

2 October 2002 Cemetery: Arlington National Cemetery Cemetery Address: C/O Director Arlington, VA 22211 Buried At: Section 5 Site 31

Revisions

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Gerald W Johnson retired as a Lieutenant Gen not a Major General.
Source: Gerald W. Johnson, Jr.

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Johnson&GSfn=Gera…;

"Zemke's Wolfpack" Nigel Julian & Peter Randall

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Death and burial details taken from http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=johnson&GSfn=gera…;

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Merged data from duplicate record to include information from :
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self, document/MACR 3443

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Earl G Peck, via American Air Museum Memory Book Correspondence.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Freeman, The Mighty Eighth, p. 278

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 3443 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Gerald Walter Johnson: Gallery (12 items)

Ground crew of the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, at work on P-47 Thunderbolt (HV-D) named "In The Mood".

Object number: FRE 179 - Ground crew of the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th...

Major Gerald W. "Gerry" Johnson and ground crew of the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, stand beside P-47 Thunderbolt, named "In The Mood", which was also painted with "Jackson County Michigan Fighter", 1943-1944.

Object number: FRE 188 - Major Gerald W. "Gerry" Johnson and ground crew of...

Captain Gerald Johnson of the 56th Fighter Group in the cockpit of his P-47 Thunderbolt. Passed for publication 16 Sep 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Gerald Johnson. 65114.' Printed caption on reverse: 'Second Thunderbolt Pilot Claims Ace Status. Captain Gerald Johnson, 25 years old, fighter-pilot from Owenton, KY, is now officially credited as the second Thunderbolt pilot of the Eighth U.S. Air Force to become an ace by destroying five enemy aircraft. This was announced after examination of the c

Object number: FRE 2494 - Captain Gerald Johnson of the 56th Fighter Group...

Major Gerald Johnson, of the 56th Fighter Group, climbs into the cockpit of his P-47 Thunderbolt. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Maj. Gerald Johnson. MIA - France.'

Object number: FRE 2505 - Major Gerald Johnson, of the 56th Fighter Group...

Four ground crew demonstrate the different jobs that an aircraft's ground crew had to perform. One stands in the cockpit with radio equipment, another rubs down the barrels of one of the machine guns, another peers at the edge of the engine cowling and the fourth kneels beside the fuel drop tank. This was probably taken at Halesworth (Holton) air base where the 56th Fighter Group were based between 8 July 1943 and 18 April 1944. The P-47 Thunderbolt is one of the 61st Fighter Squadron's, marked with the c

Object number: FRE 254 - Four ground crew demonstrate the different jobs...

Lieutenant-General Spaatz awards Colonel Hubert Zemke, commanding officer of the 56th Fighter Group the Distinguished Service Cross at Halesworth,March 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: '3-17. Lt. Gen. Spaatz C/Gen. Allied Air Forces - Europe pins the Distinguished Service Cross on Col. Hub Zemke, C.O. 56th Fighter Group, Officers Mess, Halesworth Air Base, Mar. 1944. Back row: Lft. to Rgt.: 1. Walker Mahurin. 2. Gerald Johnson. 3. D.C. Schilling. 4. Mike Quirk. 5. James Stewart. 6. Joe Powers. 7. Fre

Object number: FRE 2697 - Lieutenant-General Spaatz awards Colonel Hubert...

Major Gerald W Johnson, Colonel Hubert Zemke, Lieutenant Colonel David Schilling, Major Walker M Mahurin and airmen of the 56th Fighter Group entertain Foreign Correspondent Susie Carson, in the officers mess at Halesworth, 1944.

Object number: FRE 2725 - Major Gerald W Johnson, Colonel Hubert Zemke...

Lieutenant Gerald W Johnson of the 56th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Lt Gerald W Johnson 56 FG. 18 Victories in P-47.'

Object number: FRE 9825 - Lieutenant Gerald W Johnson of the 56th Fighter...

Corporal Jack Kazanjian, Private Albert Asplint, Staff-Sergeant Howard Buchner and Staff-Sergeant George Baltimore of the 56th Fighter Group with a P-47 Thunderbolt (HV-D, serial number 42-7877) nicknamed "In The Mood". Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp] Printed caption on reverse: A FIGHTER ACE'S GROUND CREW Much of the credit for the fine performance of the United Nations' fighter piolt is due to the ceaseless efforts of the ground crews to keep the machines in perfect fighting trim.

Object number: FRE 9827 - Corporal Jack Kazanjian, Private Albert Asplint...

Captain Gerald W. Johnson opf the 56th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Capt. Gerald W. Johnson.'

Object number: FRE 9843 - Post-war photo of Colonel Gerald W. Johnson, who...

Major Gerald W Johnson, Colonel Hubert Zemke, Lieutenant Colonel David Schilling and Major Walker M Mahurin of the 56th Fighter Group entertain Foreign Correspondent Susie Carson, in the officers mess at Halesworth. Zemke has handwritten on the reverse: 'Halesworth, 1944. L to R: (1) Maj. Gerald W. Johnson, newly assigned CO of ?? Ftr. Sqn; (2) Col. Hubert Zemke; (3) Susie Carson, Foreign Correspondent; (4) Lt.Col. David Schilling, Flying Ace 56th Fighter Group; (5) Maj. Walter M. Mahurin new assigned CO

Object number: FRE 9903 - Major Gerald W Johnson, Colonel Hubert Zemke...

Major Gerald W Johnson, Colonelt Hubert Zemke, Lieutenant Colonel David Schilling and Major Walker M Mahurin of the 56th Fighter Group entertain Foreign Correspondent Susie Carson, in the officers mess at Halesworth. Zemke has handwritten on the reverse: 'L to R: (1) Johnson; (2) Zemke; (3) Carson - Reporter; (4)Schilling; (5) Mahurin. An individual woman on base caused all sorts of problems. First, we had no billet to keep them. An officer had to move from his bed to provide lodge, and then again they we

Object number: FRE 9904 - Major Gerald W Johnson, Colonelt Hubert Zemke...