A 1937 graduate of the Maine Township High School at Park Ridge, Illinois, Henry Johnson was a studio merchandise manager for the Montgomery Ward catalog company before enlisting in the Air Corps in December 1942. Trained in advanced flying at Freeman Field in Seymour, Indiana, he received his pilot's wings in May 1944. Assigned to the 493rd Bomb Group's 860th Bomb Squadron, he arrived at Debach, England in October 1944. He flew on B-17 #43-38198 which he first named "$1.98" ("Dollar Ninety-Eight") and, with the agreement of his crew, renamed it into "Nancy Lee" for his baby daughter. After flying 23 missions, he went back to the United States, working in the merchandising business, becoming manager of the Spiegel, Inc catalog company from 1976 to 1986.