page_title: Gerald R. Johnson
section_title: World War II
hierarchical_section_title: Gerald R. Johnson / Military career / World War II
context_page_description: Gerald Richard Johnson was a World War II flying ace who flew for the United States Army Air Forces. Johnson commanded the 9th Fighter Squadron and 49th Fighter Group, and became the fourth ranking fighter ace in the Pacific during World War II. He ended his war career with 22 kills.
context_section_description: Johnson was then assigned to the 57th Pursuit Squadron of the 54th Pursuit Group at Everett, Washington, from November 1941 to February 1943 and went with the group to Alaska from June to October 1942, where he flew the Bell P-39 Airacobra and Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. In Alaska, on 58 combat missions he scored probable two enemy aircraft kills while flying the P-39.
  Johnson served with the 332d Fighter Squadron of the 329th Fighter Group at Ontario Army Air Field, California, from February to April 1943. He then moved to Australia and was assigned to the 49th Fighter Group of the Fifth Air Force, flying the Lockheed P-38 Lightnings. Johnson was assigned his P-38, which he named "Barbara" after his future wife. He scored his first confirmed aerial victories on July 23, when he shot down a 
  Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar" and a Kawasaki Ki-61 "Tony", over Markham Valley, New Guinea. Johnson was promoted to captain in the 9th Fighter Squadron in August 1943. 
   
  On October 15, 1943, while defending the allied shipping at Oro Bay, he and other aircraft from the 348th Fighter Group intercepted twenty Japanese aircraft. As they maneuvered into position, one of the aircraft in Johnson's formation could not drop its auxiliary fuel tanks, while another blew a supercharger. Unable to fight effectively, these aircraft were escorted back home, leaving Johnson and a few other aircraft alone. During the dogfight, Johnson chased an enemy aircraft off his wingman's tail and destroyed it. Johnson's aircraft was then attacked by the enemy. His heavy fire tore the wing off a Japanese fighter and sent it spiraling, in the process ripping off Johnson's port (left) tail boom assembly. Johnson managed to regain control of his aircraft and was escorted back to base by the remaining friendly planes. Johnson shot down an Oscar and two Aichi D3A "Vals", on that day. He successfully managed to disperse the enemy formation and divert it from the target. He scored three victories that day, making him a flying ace, but at the cost of his own aircraft. For his heroic actions, he received his first Distinguished Service Cross.
  While providing an escort for B-17 Flying Fortresses bombers, Johnson scored another kill when a Japanese aircraft, concentrating on the bombers, flew straight into his line of fire. Opening fire, he quickly swooped behind another enemy aircraft and sent it down in a ball of flames. In October, Johnson was promoted to the rank of Major and served as commander of the 9th FS from October 1943 to January 1944.
  On November 15, 1943 while flying a P-38, Johnson attacked a formation of two Royal Australian Air Force CAC Boomerangs and two Curtiss P-40 Warhawks who were returning to base. He shot down Boomerang serial number A46-136 piloted by Flying Officer Robert McColl Stewart, who survived the subsequent crash and fire. Later, an Australian flag indicating this Boomerang was painted on Johnson's P-38 Lightning. 
  In late 1943, the 9th Fighter Squadron received the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, due to the losses suffered by the squadron in the aerial battles over Rabaul and Lockheed being unable to quickly ship replacement P-38s. Johnson shot down a Tony and an A6M Zero, while flying the P-47. He scored a total of 13 aerial victories before going back to the US for a three month shore leave. 
  Returning to the Pacific in October 1944, he was one of the first USAAF fighter pilots to arrive at Tacloban on Leyte in the Philippines, as P-38s from the 49th FG touched down on the freshly carved airstrip. Four hours later, Johnson shot down two enemy planes, over Balikpapan, in Borneo. The strip was under attack night and day as the Japanese tried to destroy the American foothold on Leyte. During the spring of 1945, the 49th Fighter Group occupied Clark Field and were concentrating on providing ground support roles. They were particularly effective in delivering napalm bombs which devastated enemy installations and made an invasion of the Luzon unnecessary.
  On November 11, he downed two more Zeros over Ormoc Bay, and on December 7, the third anniversary of th
caption: P-38 Lightning
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