Earl D. Johnson (December 14, 1905 – January 11, 1990) was United States Under Secretary of the Army from 1952 to 1954.

Biography

Earl Dallum Johnson was born in

Hamilton, Ohio Hamilton is a city in and the county seat of Butler County, Ohio, United States. Located north of Cincinnati, Hamilton is the second largest city in the Greater Cincinnati area and the 10th largest city in Ohio. The population was 63,399 at th ...

, on December 14, 1905. He was educated at the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...

, receiving a B.A. in 1928. He then spent a year as a

graduate student Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate ( bachelor's) degree. The organization and stru ...

at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, before enrolling in the

United States Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...

Training School, graduating as a

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

in 1932. Johnson worked at

Loomis, Sayles & Company Loomis, Sayles & Company L.P. is an American investment management firm based in Boston. As of March 31, 2021, Loomis Sayles has roughly $347.8 billion in assets under management. Loomis Sayles was founded in 1926 by Robert H. Loomis and Ralph T ...

from 1933 to 1942. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, he saw active duty as deputy commander of the Ferrying Division at the

Air Transport Command Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces. It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...

. He left the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

as a

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

in 1946. He then returned to Loomis, Sayles. In 1950,

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

Harry Truman nominated Johnson as Assistant Secretary of the Army (Research and Materiel). He held this office until 1952, at which time President Truman nominated him as United States Under Secretary of the Army. He subsequently held this office from October 1952 until January 1954. Johnson also served as acting Secretary of the Army from January 20 to February 4, 1953, when

Frank Pace Frank Pace Jr. (July 5, 1912January 8, 1988) was the 3rd United States Secretary of the Army and a business executive. Biography Pace was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and attended The Hill School, Pottstown, Pennsylvania. In 1933 he graduated ...

left the post and awaiting the confirmation of incoming Secretary

Robert T. Stevens Robert Ten Broeck Stevens (July 31, 1899January 31, 1983) was an American businessman and former chairman of WestPoint Home, J. P. Stevens and Company, which was one of the most established textile manufacturing plants in the US. He served ...

. He also served as chairman of the

Panama Canal Company The Panama Canal Zone ( es, Zona del Canal de Panamá), also simply known as the Canal Zone, was an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Isthmus of Panama, that existed from 1903 to 1979. It was located within the terr ...

from 1953 until 1954. Upon leaving government service in 1954, Johnson became an executive at American Transport Association and Air Cargo Inc. In 1955, he left for

General Dynamics General Dynamics Corporation (GD) is an American publicly traded, aerospace and defense corporation headquartered in Reston, Virginia. As of 2020, it was the fifth-largest defense contractor in the world by arms sales, and 5th largest in the Uni ...

. In 1963, he left GD, spending a year as CEO at

Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the List of airlines by foundation date, world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atla ...

before retiring in 1964. Upon retirement Johnson served on several boards and often provided strategic consulting services to several politicians and private corporations. Johnson was a member of the Explorer's Club (he was on the first flight to both Poles and subsequently flew to Antarctica on more than one occasion with colleagues and friends), the Union Club and Greenwich Country Club where there is a skeet shooting tournament held annually in his name. Johnson died in

Greenwich, Connecticut Greenwich (, ) is a New England town, town in southwestern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the town had a total population of 63,518. The largest town on Connecticut's Gold Coast (Conne ...

, on January 11, 1990. There were two services celebrating his life: 1)

Christ Church, Greenwich Christ Church, Greenwich, is an Episcopal church in the Diocese of Connecticut, located in the Putnam Hill Historic District along the Boston Post Road (U.S. Route 1) as it passes through Greenwich in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

, Connecticut, and 2) at Arlington National Cemetery, where there was a 21-gun salute in his honor. He is buried there with his spouse, Honey. Johnson's family launched a scholarship in his name at University of Wisconsin for students in need who maintain a 3.8 GPA.

References

Profile from the Truman Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Earl D. 1905 births 1990 deaths Politicians from Hamilton, Ohio People from Greenwich, Connecticut University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni United States Army Air Forces officers United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II Truman administration personnel United States Under Secretaries of the Army