Dwight Johnson Obituary

Major General Dwight B. Johnson, United States Army (Retired) was born in Nekoosa, Wisconsin on September 5, 1907 to Edward and Nellie Christine Johnson, and died in Colorado Springs, Colorado on December 12, 2005 after a brief illness at the age of 98. His family moved to Chicago, Illinois while he was still an infant, and he was educated in the Chicago Public Schools and High Schools in Ravenswood and Rogers Park in the North Side of Chicago. In 1928 after a year of being an "A" student in the Engineering School at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and graduated in the West Point Class of 1932 as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps. The Coast Artillery Corps included Army Antiaircraft Units and General Johnson's first assignment after graduation was with the 61st Antiaircraft Regiment at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. This assignment launched him on a long career in Army Air Defense activities during which time he advanced from the rank of Second Lieutenant to the rank of Major General. His military service covered thirty-five years of active duty. At Fort Sheridan he met Elizabeth Wright Rule (Libby) and they were married on June 14, 1933. Their married life spanned 64 years during which time Libby was an attractive and charming hostess as an Army wife accompanying the General to numerous overseas stations as well as on his tours in the States. They raised three children during these military service assignments, Dwight B., Jr., Hugh Rodman, and Christine Elizabeth. General Johnson's early military service included duties as Battery Commander with the 91st Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment of the Philippine Scouts on Corregidor in Manila Bay, Company Commander of a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Unit in Wisconsin, and as an instructor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at the United States Military Academy. During World War II, he organized and trained Anti-aircraft Units at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts, and served as a Staff member of the Antiaircraft Artillery Training Center at that station. Subsequently in April 1943, after attending the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, he became Training Inspector at Headquarters, Antiaircraft Command then located in Richmond, Virginia, and later was assigned as Assistant G3, Headquarters, Army Ground Forces at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. In May, 1945, General Johnson participated in the Luzon Campaign and served with General MacArthur's Headquarters in Manila until the end of World War II. Thereafter, until 1947, he performed duties as an Operations Staff Officer in General Headquarters Southwest Pacific Area and Allied Forces Pacific, during the occupation of Japan. Following tours with the War Department General Staff and in the Office, Chief of Staff, United States Army, he attend-ed the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, graduating in June, 1952. From then until July, 1955, he served in the Organization and Training Division, NATO Headquarters, Allied Forces, Southern Europe as Chief of the Training Branch, and later as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff of that Division. Returning to the United States, General Johnson commanded the 19th Antiaircraft Artillery Group with responsibility for the Army Nike missile defenses of Washington, D.C. In March, 1956 he was promoted to Brigadier General and was called to Colorado Springs, Colorado, as Chief if Staff, Army Air Defense Command. In May, 1959 he was given a Field Artillery assignment and became Commanding General, 1st Cavalry Division Artillery in Korea. In June, 1960, he was assigned as Deputy Commander of the Field Command, Defense Atomic Support Agency, and Commanding General, U.S. Army Element of Field Command, Defense Atomic Sup-port Agency at Sandia Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After being promoted to Major General, General Johnson in August, 1961 took command of the 2nd Region, U.S. Army Air Defense Command and concurrently established the Army Regional Headquarters at Oklahoma City following its transfer from Fort Meade, Maryland. He effectively integrated all Nike Defenses in southeastern United States within that Regional organization, incorporating therein many of the nation's most recent Nike Hercules installations. He served simultaneously as Deputy Commander of the 32nd Region of the North American Air Defense Command. Returning to Colorado Springs in November 1962, he became Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the United States Army Air Defense Command, the Army component of the North American Air Defense Command. In August 1965, he was assigned as Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group to the Republic of China and Commanding General of the United States Army Forces there with headquarters in Taipai, Taiwan, Republic of China. Returning again to Colorado Springs in July, 1967, he was assigned to Headquarters, United States Army Air Defense Command prior to his retirement by law on 1 August 1967 after thirty-five years service as an Officer, and five years in the permanent grade of Major General. Among his military awards and decorations, General Johnson holds the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Theater Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal (Japan), the National Defense Service Medal, the Philippine Liberation Medal, the Philippine Presidential Citation, and the Korean Order of Military Merit Ulchi with Silver Star. His biography has been published in Who's Who in America and in Who's Who in the West. General Johnson's wife, Elizabeth R. Johnson (Libby) preceded him in death on September 9, 1997. He is survived by two sons: Dwight B. Johnson, Jr., of Duxbury Massachusetts, and Hugh R. Johnson of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and a daughter, Christine E. Whalin of Scottsdale, Arizona. Also surviving him are nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. After retiring in Colorado Springs, General Johnson participated in many social and civic activities. He has been the Chairman of the United Fund Drive, President of the Retired Officers Association and a member of the Broadmoor Golf Club, the Country Club of Colorado, the Cheyenne Mountain Country Club, the Association of the U.S. Army, the West Point Graduates Association, the West Point Alumni Association, the IOOB, the Over-the-Hill Gang, the SOB's and the Broadmoor Community Church. He was a kind, patient and gentle leader among his friends and family, always having a positive outlook. He will be remembered as a true encourager and everyday hero to everyone who had the privilege of being a part of his life. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on January 7, 2006 at the Broadmoor Community Church in Colorado Springs with Reverend Dr. James Chapman officiating. A private family service will be held for the inurnment in the Meditation Glen of the Broadmoor Community Church. Memorial contributions may be given to the Broadmoor Community Church, 315 Lake Ave., Colorado Springs 80906 or to Odyssey Hospice, 4465 Northpark Drive Suite 400, Colorado Springs, CO 80907.