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This Day in History – June 10, 1969 – The X-15 gets a place in history

10 June 1969: The U.S. Air Force donated the first North American Aviation X-15, serial number 56-6670, to the Smithsonian Institution for display at the National Air and Space Museum. The first of three X-15A hypersonic research rocketplanes built by North American for the Air Force and the National Advisory Committee (NACA, the predecessor of NASA), 56-6670 made the first glide flight and

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Johnson, Carrol R.

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  • Johnson, Carrol R.

Carrol

Preferred Name: CR
Highest Military Grade: 0-5 – Lieutenant Colonel
Hometown: Haddam, KS
Headed West Date: March 6, 2022
Carrol R. Johnson - before
Biography
Pilot Information
Headed West
Album

“Flying the Hun was my best assignment in the Air Force. I only wish I could have had additional assignments in the aircraft after Vietnam.”

After retiring from the USAF in 2003, CR Johnson worked as a DOD Contractor for BDM/TRW, Test and Evaluation work at Albuquerque, NM. He also worked at the Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake, CA; with the 3246th Test Wing Detachment, George AFB, CA; the Space Warfare Center Detachment, Las Vegas, NV; and Red Flag support at Nellis AFB, NV.

Units Assigned

  • 6/1967-6/1968 3575th Pilot Training Wing, Vance AFB, OK (T-41, T-37, T-38)
  • 9/1968-3/ 1969 4511th Combat Crew Training Wing, Luke AFB, AZ (F-100C/F)
  • 4/1969-4/1970 308th Tactical Fighter Squadron/31st Tactical Fighter Wing, Tuy Hoa AB, Vietnam (F-100D)
  • 6/1970-8/1970 F-4 Cat C Checkout, Davis Monthan AFB, AZ (F-4C)
  • 9/1970-5/1971 46th Tactical Fighter Squadron/15th Tactical Fighter Wing, MacDill AFB, FL (F-4E)
  • 6/1971-1/1973 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron/86th Tactical Fighter Wing, “Wild Weasel”, Zweibrucken AB, Germany (F-4C)
  • 2/1973-10/1973 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron/52nd Tactical Fighter Wing, “Wild Weasel”, Spangdahlem AB, Germany (F-4C)
  • 11/1973-6/ 1975 3rd Brigade/3rd Armor Divison, Friedberg, Germany, ALO (T-29, C-131)
  • 8/1975-2/1978 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron/18th Tactical Fighter Wing, “Wild Weasel”, Kadena AB, Okinawa (F-4C)
  • 3/1978-7/1981 562nd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron/37th Tactical Fighter Wing, “Wild Weasel”, George AFB, CA (F-4E/G)
  • 8/1981-6/1982 Student, ACSC, Maxwell AFB, AL
  • 7/1982- 4/1987 HQ AFOTEC, Test Manager and Branch Chief, Kirtland AFB, NM
  • 4/1987 – Retired from Air Force

Awards & Decorations

Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross
Air Medal
Air Medal with 10 Oak Leaf Clusters

Flight Info

T-41
T-37
T-38
T-29
F-100 C/D/F
F-4 C/E/G
C-131

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • 1967 Officer Training School
  • 1982 Air Command and Staff College (Residence)

Civilian Education:

  • 1964 BS/Electrical Engineering, Kansas State University
  • 1977 MS/Systems Management, University of Southern California

Carrol R. Johnson, Lt Col. USAF Ret. “Headed West” on March 6, 2022.

Carrol R. Johnson, Lt Col. USAF Ret. 79, of Apple Valley, Calif., died March 6, 2022. He was born on May 19, 1942, to Veteran Emery and Laurene Johnson and grew up on a farm south of Haddam.

Carrol was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church, Brantford, and was a lifelong Lutheran. He attended country school for his first 4 years of grade school going first to Brantford School and then Weaver School. In 5th grade, he started attending school in Haddam where he continued until he graduated from Haddam Rural High School in May 1960. He attended college at Kansas State University and received his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering in May 1964.

Carrol moved to Tacoma Park, Md., after receiving his B.S. degree and spent the next 3 years working in his chosen field. In 1967 he joined the United States Air Force. Carrol attended Officer’s Training School and then went on to Flight Training and received his wings in May 1968. He had one tour of duty in Vietnam as a fighter pilot flying the F100. On his return from Vietnam, he was stateside briefly before being stationed at Zweibrucken Air Force Base in Germany.

While there he met and married Judy Hastings from Warwick, Rhode Island, on Dec. 22, 1973. Carrol remained in the USAF for 20 years with him and Judy living in Germany, Okinawa, California, and New Mexico. While living in Okinawa Carrol received his M.S. degree in Business and Finance.

He retired from the USAF on May 1, 1987, as a Lt. Colonel at Kirtland AF Base in Albuquerque, N.M. Carrol and Judy moved to Apple Valley in 1988, and he worked as a defense contractor at Nellis AF Base in Las Vegas for 9 years. They joined Trinity Lutheran Church in Victorville and were very active, including being members of the Handbell Choir, Chancel Choir, and the Service Team.

After retirement Carrol devoted 12 1/2 years as a volunteer helping veterans by transporting them to doctor’s appointments in the LA area. Over those years he drove 126,000 miles for 5,400 veterans. He also enjoyed going back to the farm in Kansas and helping his cousins Dale and John with the harvests and helped maintaining fences etc. Up until his death, he was very interested in what was going on with the farm that he and his sister still own together, which was actually their grandpa’s farm.

Carrol and Judy enjoyed traveling together throughout the world including excursions to Tanzania, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Iceland, the Galapagos Islands, Scandinavia, and many other places.

He is survived by his wife Judy, his sister Karen (Ralph) Tapphorn of Goleta, CA, and numerous other relatives including nieces, nephews, and cousins as well as several cats.

A memorial service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, Victorville in mid-May. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Trinity Lutheran Handbell Choir.

Washington County News • March 10, 2022″

Johnson, Carroll Training Class
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