Douglas SBD Dauntless
He was detached from the squadron in March 1942 and assigned to the ship's company. During the Battle of the Coral Sea, he flew a Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber with "Yorktown"'s Scouting 5 squadron, attacking Imperial Japanese Navy shipping in Tulagi Harbor and aircraft carriers in the Coral Sea. Lieutenant Johnson was lost in aerial combat on 8 May, and posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.