Photo By Spc. Jayden Woods | Maj. Gen. Brett Sylvia, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division (Air...... read more read more
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FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) held an award ceremony honoring a Vietnam veteran on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.
Eldridge Johnson Jr. received the Distinguished Flying Cross on Feb. 22, at Sabre Army Airfield for actions taken in Vietnam when he was a member of C Troop, 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division.
“This award is not just for me, it is for people who didn’t know they earned it, it’s for people who didn’t come home, so it is not for me,” said Mr. Johnson. “I receive it on behalf of my brothers and sisters that didn’t come home.”
In September of 1971, Johnson was forced to make an emergency landing during a test flight in Vietnam after his AH-G1 Cobra gunship lost all transmission fluid. Johnson, a chief warrant officer two at the time, safely landed the aircraft near an enemy village before transmitting a mayday message.
Aircraft returning from another mission heard the mayday call and conducted a blocking maneuver to keep local villagers away from the scene while Chief Johnson diagnosed the cause of his premature landing. He then sent the soldier back with one of the other aircraft to retrieve the parts needed to fix the Cobra. Chief Johnson’s previous experience as a helicopter mechanic allowed him to repair his aircraft before piloting it back to base.
Mr. Johnson began his military career in 1967 as an enlisted helicopter mechanic, but his childhood dream was to become a helicopter pilot.
“I have been interested in aviation since I was, I’d say, 7 or 8 years old,” said Eldridge Johnson Jr. “I was always interested in birds and airplanes, anything that flew, I watched every flying program at the time, so I watched ‘Sky Kings’ every episode.”
Mr. Johnson’s journey to becoming a pilot was not an easy one. Despite being told several times that he would never become an army aviator, he ignored the naysayers and remained focused on his goal, helping others in his unit to also become pilots during his own journey.
After his first tour, Johnson took and passed the test to become a warrant officer. Shortly after, he began his flight training. His passion for aviation helped him pass these courses, eventually returning to Vietnam for a second tour of duty, this time as a gunship pilot and maintenance and downed aircraft recovery officer for over 18 helicopters.
Following his second Vietnam tour, Johnson joined the U.S. Army Reserves until 1972 when he began working to earn his officer commission through the Air Force. In 1975, Johnson commissioned into the Air National Guard where he served until his retirement in 2002. Johnson retired from military service as a lieutenant colonel but continued flying Boeing 747s for United Airlines in his civilian life.
“The courage he displayed in standing up for what is right and that of countless others he represents is an inspiration to us all,” said Maj. Gen. Brett Sylvia, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and Fort Campbell. “It is a story we must tell.”
Mr. Johnson was joined at the ceremony by two members of his army unit from Vietnam, Clyde Romero and Bob Ferris. Mr. Romero and Mr. Ferris were two other pilots of color in his unit, and they still have a brotherly bond over 50 years later.
Mr. Johnson and his wife, Charlotte, have two sons and a daughter. Between their two homes in the Chicago and Las Vegas areas, they enjoy staying active with dance lessons, ziplining and spending time with their grandchildren.
| Date Taken: | 02.23.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 02.23.2024 10:40 |
| Story ID: | 464562 |
| Location: | FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US |
| Web Views: | 174 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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