James Houston Johnson Jr. (born December 16, 1937) is a retired
lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
. He has over 33 years of active military service, culminating as Commanding General of the
First United States Army
First Army is the oldest and longest-established field army of the United States Army. It served as a theater army, having seen service in both World War I and World War II, and supplied the US army with soldiers and equipment during the Korea ...
, responsible for 325,000 soldiers, from 1991 to 1993.
Personal life
Johnson was born on December 16, 1937 in
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa ( ) is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west-central Alabama, United States, on the Black Warrior River where the Gulf Coastal and Piedmont plains meet. Alabama's fifth-largest city, it had an estimated population of 1 ...
. He graduated from the
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...
at
West Point, New York
West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. Located on the Hudson River in New York, West Point was identified by General George Washington as the most important strategic position in America during the Ame ...
, in 1960 and was commissioned in the infantry. He is also a graduate of the Armor Career Course, the Armed Forces Staff College and the Army War College. He attained a Master of Science degree in Public Administration from
Shippensburg State College
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (Ship or SU) is a public university in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Founded in 1871, it later became the first teachers college in Pennsylvania. ...
in 1979.
Johnson's son, with wife Edna, would also attend West Point, then eventually ommanding the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. In 2012, The Stars and Stripes reported the parents attended the court-martial of Col. James H. Johnson III, in which he was found guilty of two counts of conduct unbecoming an officer. The younger Johnson had already pleaded guilty to 15 other charges relating to accusations of fraud, bigamy and adultry while serving in Afghanistan.
Military career
Johnson served as a troop leader in the
82nd Airborne Division
The 82nd Airborne Division is an Airborne forces, airborne infantry division (military), division of the United States Army specializing in Paratrooper, parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops ...
at every level, from Rifle Platoon Leader to Airborne Division Commander. He commanded the
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment
The 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (505th PIR), originally the 505th Infantry Regiment, is an airborne infantry regiment of the United States Army, one of four infantry regiments of the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army, with ...
for three years, longer than anyone in the history of the Regiment, from 1980 to 1983. He commanded the 82nd Airborne Division longer than anyone since World War II, from 1988 to 1991.
During his career, he was in combat on four separate occasions. This includes two tours in Vietnam: first, as an Advisor in the Mekong Delta in 1966 to 1967 and, later, as an Infantry Battalion S3 with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), operating in the Ruong-Ruong Valley, just south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in 1969 to 1970.
As Assistant Division Commander for Operations of the 82nd Airborne Division, Johnson commanded all Army Forces during Operation Golden Pheasant, a show of force in Horduras in 1988.
As Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division, he became the only modern-day Commander to lead a division in combat in two separate conflicts. In 1989, he was the first jumper during the night airborne assault of Panama, known as
Operation Just Cause
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
. In 1990 to 1991, he led the division during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf.
Awards and decorations
Among his military awards and decorations, Johnson was awarded the
Army Distinguished Service Medal
The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. Th ...
(with one OLC), the
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
(with one OLC), the
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.
Wh ...
(with one OLC), the
Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include:
*Meritorious Civilian Service Award
*Meritorious Service Med ...
(with two OLC), the
Army Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...
(with three OLC) and the
Air Medal
The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.
Criteria
The Air Medal was establish ...
(with one OLC). Johnson earned the Combat Infantry Badge, the Expert Infantry Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge with Gold Combat Star, the Ranger Tab, the Jungle Expert Patch and the Army Staff Identification Badge. He also received British and Egyptian parachutist badges.
In 2019, Johnson was inducted into the 82nd Airborne Division's Hall of Fame.
Post-military life
After retirement from active duty in 1993, Johnson's service to the Nation continued in the Balkans as Director of a Joint Civil-Military Training Program for the Croatian Armed Forces. Later, he served as the Secretary of Defense's personal representative to the Former Soviet Republics of Kasakhstan and Uzbekistan in Central Asia.
Since 2000, Johnson has served as the Honorary Colonel of the Regiment to the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, James H.
1937 births
Living people
People from Tuscaloosa, Alabama
United States Military Academy alumni
United States Army Rangers
United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania alumni
United States Army personnel of the Gulf War
Recipients of the Legion of Merit
United States Army generals
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)