page_title: George Owen Johnson
section_title: World War I service
hierarchical_section_title: George Owen Johnson / Military career / World War I service
caption_attribution_description: English: Personnel of No. 1 Squadron, Canadian Air Force (1918-1920). Back row: Lieutenants W.L. Ruhedge, P.F. Townley, G.R. Howsam, H. Kenny, F.V. Heakes, C.M. McEwan, H.A. Marshall, J. Whitford, and R.W. Ryan. Front row: Captains D.R. MacLaren, G.O. Johnson, Major A.E. McKeever, Lieutenant J.F. Veiner, Captain C.F. Falkenberg
context_page_description: Air Marshal George Owen Johnson CB, MC was a Canadian aviator, World War I Flying Ace and a senior commander in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II.
context_section_description: Born in Woodstock, Ontario in 1896, George Owen Johnson initially served as a subaltern with the Corps of School Cadet Instructors (CSCI) (now known as Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC)) 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 RAF he became an ace with one aircraft destroyed, two shared aircraft destroyed, and three 'out of control'. Later, serving with No. 24 Squadron RAF, he was credited with one aircraft destroyed, one shared balloon destroyed, two 'out of control', and one shared aircraft captured including Leut. Kurt Wüsthoff. In total he was credited with 11 victories. He also crash landed three times.
  He trained at No. 24 Training Squadron RFC and "A" Squadron Central Flying School RFC (now known as the Central Flying School), starting on July 7, 1917, graduating with 54 hours flight time, 38 hours 10 minutes of which was solo, on September 27, 1917 after an 85-day course of instruction.
  He served as a fighter pilot in Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 aircraft (According to aviation author Robert Jackson, the S.E.5 was: "the nimble fighter that has since been described as the 'Spitfire of World War One'") 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.
  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."
caption: Personnel of No. 1 Squadron [Canadian air Force 1918-1920}
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