Harold Keith Johnson Harold Keith " Johnny " Johnson ( February 22 , 1912 – September 24 , 1983 ) was a United States General . He served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1964 to 1968 . Early career and World War II . Harold Keith Johnson was born in Bowesmont , North Dakota on February 22 , 1912 . After graduation from high school in 1929 , Johnson attended the United States Military Academy , West Point , New York . On June 13 , 1933 , he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the infantry . Johnson ’ s first duty assignment was with the 3rd Infantry ( Old Guard ) at Fort Snelling , Minnesota . In 1938 , Johnson attended Infantry School in Fort Benning . Upon graduation , he was assigned to the 28th Infantry at Fort Niagara , New York . Requesting overseas transfer , Johnson was reassigned to the 57th Infantry ( Philippines Scouts ) at Fort McKinley , Philippine Islands in 1940 . After the fall of Bataan , Johnson became a prisoner of the Japanese on 9 April 1942 . Participating in the Bataan Death March , Johnson was eventually imprisoned at Camp O ’ Donnell , Cabanatuan , and Bilibid Prison . In December 1944 , the Japanese attempted to transfer Johnson and 1600 other POWs out of the Philippines . On 14 December 1944 , American fighter planes sunk the Japanese ship the Oryoku Maru killing over 300 of the POWs . Johnson survived and was eventually transferred to Japan . Unwilling to give up their POWs to the advancing Allies , Japan again transferred Johnson . Finally ending up in Korea , Johnson was liberated by the 7th Infantry Division on September 7 , 1945 . Post World War II and Chief of Staff . After Johnson ’ s return to the United States , his first assignment was with the Ground Forces School Tour . In August 1946 , he attended the Command & General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas where he remained as an instructor for another two years . Johnson next attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk , Virginia in 1949 . After graduation , he was assigned as Commanding Officer , 3rd Battalion , 7th Infantry at Fort Devens , Massachusetts . Johnson organized the 1st Provisional Infantry Battalion at Fort Devens , and in August 1950 , he was dispatched to Korea . The battalion was attached to the 1st Cavalry Division for the defense of the Pusan Perimeter . Still with the 1st Cavalry , Johnson was later promoted to command the 5th and the 8th Cavalry Regiments . In February 1951 , he was reassigned as Assistant Chief of Staff , G3 of I Corps . Returning to the United States , Johnson was assigned to the Office of the Chief of the Army Field Forces , Fort Monroe , Virginia . In 1952 , he attended the National War College . After graduation , Johnson was assigned to the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff , G3 , where he served first , as Chief of Joint War Plans Branch , then as the Assistant to the Chief of the Plans Division , and finally as the Executive Officer of the Assistant Chief of Staff . In January 1956 , Johnson was assigned to duty as Assistant Division Commander of the 8th Infantry Division at Fort Carson , Colorado . Later in 1956 , he transferred with the 8th Division to Germany . Johnson ’ s next assignment was as Chief of Staff , Seventh Army Headquarters at Stuttgart - Vaihingen . Then in April 1959 , Johnson moved to Headquarters , United States Army , Europe , as Assistant Chief of Staff , G3 . The following December , he was appointed Chief of Staff , Central Army Group at NATO Headquarters concerned with planning for the employment of French , German , and American troop operations in Central Europe . Returning to the United States , Johnson was assigned as Commandant , Command and General Staff College , Fort Leavenworth , Kansas . In February 1963 , he became Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations ( Operations and Plans ) Department of the Army , and in July was appointed as Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations . On July 3 , 1964 , he was appointed Chief of Staff of the United States Army . In 1964 , General Johnson became the 24th Chief of Staff of the United States Army , the second youngest man to have held the post to that point , having been unexpectedly promoted over several more senior generals . Johnson was the Army ' s leading tactician , having served as commandant of the Command and General Staff College , and was an outspoken skeptic of deploying troops except as a last resort and accompanied by the total commitment of the civilian leadership . During his term as Chief of Staff , he was involved in many policy debates regarding the escalation of the Vietnam War . He was a strong proponent of full military mobilization : declare a national emergency , call up the reserves , fight a quick and decisive . . . war , and withdraw . He considered resigning in protest over President Lyndon B . Johnson ' s decision not to mobilize the reserves , and at the end of his life expressed regret at not doing so . As Chief of Staff , one of Johnson ' s noteworthy accomplishments was creating the office of the Sergeant Major of the Army to improve the quality of life for enlisted personnel . He selected Sergeant Major William O . Wooldridge to be the first to hold this post . Johnson also served as acting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for a few months in 1967 during the convalescence of General Earle Wheeler . Johnson retired from active duty in July 1968 . For three years later , General Johnson headed the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge and afterwards worked as a banking executive until retiring for good . Johnson married Dorothy Rennix in 1935 . He was the subject of a biography , " Honorable Warrior " , by Lewis Sorley . He died September 24 , 1983 , in Washington , D . C . . Tributes . " He had an unusual sense of loyalty to the men under him , the kind of thing ordinary soldiers notice and value when they grade an officer . . . " " He was the best , someone born to lead men . I think he was always thinking about what was good for us . Nothing ever got by him . "