Richard Damon Johnson

West Point, 1955

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Daniel Dugan on February 13, 2013:

Rich Johnson and I served together for three years in E-1 and after graduation, Rich was an Usher in the wedding on Staten Island in Dec., 1955. An exemplary athlete and leader, Rich did well at West Point and maintained Star Man status.We ended up going to Korea at the same time, 1963-64, where Rich was assigned to a post on the DMZ. I visited him once up there from the plush assignment in the 55th Aviation Company near Seoul. Prior to that we were graduate students at VPI in the Aero Dept., 1961-63. Rich helped me through some of the tougher Aero courses for which I was eternally grateful. He and Carol lived in a basement apartment in the house where the Head of the Aero Dept. resided - nice going, Rich. He and a friend tolerated me on the Blacksburg, VA golf course where I duffed around with them. His booming drives off the Tee were something to behold. We both ended up at the Army Aviation Test Activity at Edwards AFB in late 1964. I was only there 10 days before I got orders to the Naval Test Pilot School. Sadly. while I was at Patuxent River in 1965, Rich was killed in a U-8D in violent weather. He was destined for great things in the Army, but his career was cut too short after only ten years.

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