Alfred Wilkinson Johnson
Encyclopedia
Vice Admiral Alfred Wilkinson Johnson was an officer of the United States Navy
who served in the Spanish-American War
and World War I
, commanded several ships, and served as Director of Naval Intelligence, and in various other posts, before his retirement in December 1940. Recalled to duty during World War II
he served on several boards, finally retiring in August 1945. He died in 1963.
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Johnson was born in Philadelphia on November 18, 1876, son of Rear Admiral Philip Carrigan Johnson and his wife Elvira Lindsay, and nephew of American painter Eastman Johnson
, Co-Founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
. He spent his childhood in California
, Maine
, and in the District of Columbia, where he attended public schools.
and entered the United States Naval Academy
, Annapolis, Maryland, in 1895. During the Spanish-American War
, as a member of the First Class, he served on of the North Atlantic Squadron under the command of Rear Admiral W.T. Sampson
, USN and later on . He returned to Annapolis in September 1898, and was graduated in January 1899. He served the two years at sea, then required by law before commissioning and was commissioned Ensign in 1901.
From 1907 until 1910 he served as an instructor in the Department of Mathematics at the Naval Academy. During this assignment he made the midshipman's practice cruise on in the summer of 1908, and served as flag lieutenant to the commander of the Practice Squadron on the flagship in the summer of 1909. He joined as assistant engineer officer in 1910 and in 1911 was transferred to , with duty as senior Engineer Officer. Upon detachment, he reported to the Office of Naval Intelligence, Navy Department, and from April 10, 1912 to December 13, 1913 served as US Naval Attaché to Santiago, Chile
.
. For his services in command of the Conyngham he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal
with citation as follows:
He fitted out and commanded the destroyer early in 1918, and upon his return to the United States later that year reported for duty as aide to the commandant, New York Navy Yard and Third Naval District. He served as commander, Air Force, Atlantic fleet, while simultaneously commanding Shawmut
and later , in 1920 and 1921. Planes under his command made the first flight across the Caribbean to Panama and in June–July 1921 were engaged in bombing experiments with ex-German warships off the Virginia Capes
. In 1922 he was on duty in the Bureau of Navigation, Navy Department, Washington, DC, and while there served as senior member of boards to (1) to revise the orders for gunnery and bombing exercises for aircraft and (2) to draw up a doctrine for aircraft in connection with fleet fire control. He was assistant chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics from 1923 to late in 1925, and in cooperation with the US Geological Survey, initiated the Aerial Photographic Survey of Alaska
and the Aleutian Islands by naval aircraft.
From January 1, 1926 to November 3, 1927, he commanded the cruiser . After a tour of duty as Director of Naval Intelligence
, Navy Department, Washington, DC, he was appointed in June 1930, President of the National Board of Elections in Nicaragua
, with additional rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Nicaragua. For service rendered, 1930 election, Nicaragua, he received the Medal of Merit, by the Government of Nicaragua.
in 1933 and, in that year, qualified as a Naval Aviation Observer. From August 1933 until June 1935 he served as commander, Patrol Plane Squadrons, U S Fleet. In January 1934 his squadrons made the first mass non-stop flight from the West Coast to Honolulu and to Midway Island
. While in this command he developed the mobility and self-supporting qualities of the patrol plane squadrons by conducting their operations away from home bases for extended periods of time in distant theaters of activity to increase their usefulness to the fleet.
He was a member of the General Board from June 1935 to January 1938 when he assumed command of the Training Detachment, United States Fleet. In October 1938, his title was changed to Commander, Atlantic Squadron. While in command of the Atlantic Squadron, during the winter of 1938-1939, Admiral Johnson, collaborated with the Naval Research Laboratory scientists in conducting the first comprehensive radar experiments at sea. These experiments resulted in the developing of radar for fire control. The techniques proved useful during WWII.
In November 1939 he reported for duty as a Member of the General Board. On December 1, 1940, having reached the age of retirement, he was transferred to the Retired List and advanced to the rank of Vice Admiral, in recognition of his being "specially commended for performance of duty in actual combat with the enemy during the World War".
The citation states further: "... Vice Admiral Johnson rendered invaluable assistance to all members of the Board during the early stages of hostilities and, by his superb ability and tact, was in large measure responsible for securing rights and privileges vitally needed by our forces in the conduct of the war and for the maintenance of cordial relations between the United States and Latin American countries..."
Johnson retired on August 13, 1945, after forty-nine-and-a-half years of service.
.
Johnson died on December 5, 1963 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery
. His wife Hannah had predeceased him in 1962. The Admiral was survived by two daughters, Caroline Gilbert, married to US diplomat James Elwyn Brown, and Elvira Lindsay, married to Ambassador Charles Burke Elbrick
.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
who served in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, commanded several ships, and served as Director of Naval Intelligence, and in various other posts, before his retirement in December 1940. Recalled to duty during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served on several boards, finally retiring in August 1945. He died in 1963.
Early life and education
Eastman Johnson
Eastman Johnson was an American painter, and Co-Founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, with his name inscribed at its entrance...
, Co-Founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He spent his childhood in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, and in the District of Columbia, where he attended public schools.
Naval cadet
He was appointed Naval Cadet (at large) by President Grover ClevelandGrover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
and entered the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
, Annapolis, Maryland, in 1895. During the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, as a member of the First Class, he served on of the North Atlantic Squadron under the command of Rear Admiral W.T. Sampson
William T. Sampson
William Thomas Sampson was a United States Navy rear admiral known for his victory in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba during the Spanish-American War.-Biography:...
, USN and later on . He returned to Annapolis in September 1898, and was graduated in January 1899. He served the two years at sea, then required by law before commissioning and was commissioned Ensign in 1901.
Junior officer
Following graduation from the Naval Academy, he served successively on , , , , and had duty in the Philippines during the insurrection aboard . He returned to the United States in 1903 and, after duty on the monitors and , served on torpedo boats until 1907, commanding and .From 1907 until 1910 he served as an instructor in the Department of Mathematics at the Naval Academy. During this assignment he made the midshipman's practice cruise on in the summer of 1908, and served as flag lieutenant to the commander of the Practice Squadron on the flagship in the summer of 1909. He joined as assistant engineer officer in 1910 and in 1911 was transferred to , with duty as senior Engineer Officer. Upon detachment, he reported to the Office of Naval Intelligence, Navy Department, and from April 10, 1912 to December 13, 1913 served as US Naval Attaché to Santiago, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
.
Commanding officer
In 1914, after several months in command of the , he had charge of fitting out at the New York Shipbuilding Company, Camden, New Jersey, and commanded her briefly before his transfer in 1915 to at William Camp and Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He assumed command of that destroyer when she was commissioned on January 21, 1916. Conyngham was in the first destroyer division sent to Europe in April 1917, when the United States entered World War I and was based at Queenstown, IrelandCobh
Cobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island...
. For his services in command of the Conyngham he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
with citation as follows:
- "For exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as Commanding Officer of the USS Conyngham engaged in the important, exacting and hazardous duty of patrolling the waters infested with enemy submarines and mines, in escorting and protecting vitally important convoys of troops and supplies through these waters, and in offensive and defensive action, vigorously and unremittingly prosecuted against all forms of enemy naval activity; and especially for an attack upon an enemy submarine on October 19, 1917, during which attack Conyngham was directly over the submarine and dropped a depth bomb which is believed to have destroyed the submarine.
He fitted out and commanded the destroyer early in 1918, and upon his return to the United States later that year reported for duty as aide to the commandant, New York Navy Yard and Third Naval District. He served as commander, Air Force, Atlantic fleet, while simultaneously commanding Shawmut
USS Oglala (CM-4)
USS Oglala was a minelayer in the United States Navy. Commissioned as Massachusetts, she was renamed Shawmut a month later, and in 1928 was renamed for the Oglala, a sub-tribe of the Lakota, residing in the Black Hills of South Dakota.She was originally built as Eastern Steamship Company's SS...
and later , in 1920 and 1921. Planes under his command made the first flight across the Caribbean to Panama and in June–July 1921 were engaged in bombing experiments with ex-German warships off the Virginia Capes
Virginia Capes
The Virginia Capes are the two capes, Cape Charles to the north and Cape Henry to the south, that define the entrance to Chesapeake Bay on the eastern coast of North America....
. In 1922 he was on duty in the Bureau of Navigation, Navy Department, Washington, DC, and while there served as senior member of boards to (1) to revise the orders for gunnery and bombing exercises for aircraft and (2) to draw up a doctrine for aircraft in connection with fleet fire control. He was assistant chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics from 1923 to late in 1925, and in cooperation with the US Geological Survey, initiated the Aerial Photographic Survey of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and the Aleutian Islands by naval aircraft.
From January 1, 1926 to November 3, 1927, he commanded the cruiser . After a tour of duty as Director of Naval Intelligence
Director of Naval Intelligence
The Director of Naval Intelligence refers to either one of two posts, both related to naval intelligence:* The head of the Naval Intelligence Division of the British Admiralty; or* The head of the Office of Naval Intelligence in the United States....
, Navy Department, Washington, DC, he was appointed in June 1930, President of the National Board of Elections in Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, with additional rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Nicaragua. For service rendered, 1930 election, Nicaragua, he received the Medal of Merit, by the Government of Nicaragua.
Flag officer
He commanded the battleship in 1931 and was Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Navigation from January 9, 1932 to May 5, 1933. He was advanced to the rank of Rear AdmiralRear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
in 1933 and, in that year, qualified as a Naval Aviation Observer. From August 1933 until June 1935 he served as commander, Patrol Plane Squadrons, U S Fleet. In January 1934 his squadrons made the first mass non-stop flight from the West Coast to Honolulu and to Midway Island
Midway Atoll
Midway Atoll is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, near the northwestern end of the Hawaiian archipelago, about one-third of the way between Honolulu, Hawaii, and Tokyo, Japan. Unique among the Hawaiian islands, Midway observes UTC-11 , eleven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time and one hour...
. While in this command he developed the mobility and self-supporting qualities of the patrol plane squadrons by conducting their operations away from home bases for extended periods of time in distant theaters of activity to increase their usefulness to the fleet.
He was a member of the General Board from June 1935 to January 1938 when he assumed command of the Training Detachment, United States Fleet. In October 1938, his title was changed to Commander, Atlantic Squadron. While in command of the Atlantic Squadron, during the winter of 1938-1939, Admiral Johnson, collaborated with the Naval Research Laboratory scientists in conducting the first comprehensive radar experiments at sea. These experiments resulted in the developing of radar for fire control. The techniques proved useful during WWII.
In November 1939 he reported for duty as a Member of the General Board. On December 1, 1940, having reached the age of retirement, he was transferred to the Retired List and advanced to the rank of Vice Admiral, in recognition of his being "specially commended for performance of duty in actual combat with the enemy during the World War".
World War II
On January 1, 1942, he was recalled to active duty and served as US Naval Delegate to the Inter-American Defense Board from March 30, 1942 to August 1945. During this period he had additional duty as Naval Member on the Joint Mexican-United States Defense Commission and as Senior Naval Member of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense, Canada-United States. He was awarded the Legion of Merit and cited for "exceptionally meritorious conduct... as U. S. Naval Delegate to the Inter-American Defense Board from March 30, 1942 to August 1945, with additional duties as U. S. Naval Member on the Joint Mexican-United States Defense Commission and as Senior U.S. Naval Member of the Permanent Board on Defense, Canada-United States..."The citation states further: "... Vice Admiral Johnson rendered invaluable assistance to all members of the Board during the early stages of hostilities and, by his superb ability and tact, was in large measure responsible for securing rights and privileges vitally needed by our forces in the conduct of the war and for the maintenance of cordial relations between the United States and Latin American countries..."
Johnson retired on August 13, 1945, after forty-nine-and-a-half years of service.
Personal life
On June 18, 1903 at Albany, NY, he married Hannah Cox Harris, daughter of Frederick Harris and granddaughter of Hamilton Harris, NY Senator (1873), also great niece of United States Senator Ira HarrisIra Harris
Ira Harris was an American jurist and senator from New York. He was also a friend of Abraham Lincoln's.-Life:Harris grew up on a farm, and graduated from Union College in 1824. Then he studied law in Albany, and in 1828 was admitted to the bar.He was a Whig member from Albany County of the New...
.
Johnson died on December 5, 1963 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
. His wife Hannah had predeceased him in 1962. The Admiral was survived by two daughters, Caroline Gilbert, married to US diplomat James Elwyn Brown, and Elvira Lindsay, married to Ambassador Charles Burke Elbrick
Charles Burke Elbrick
Charles Burke Elbrick, , was a United States diplomat and career foreign service officer. During his career, he served three ambassadorships in various parts of the world, in addition to many other minor postings.Elbrick was the son of Charles Elbrick and his Irish wife, Lillian Burke...
.