Dwight H. Johnson
Encyclopedia
Dwight Hal Johnson a native of Detroit, Michigan was a United States Army
soldier who received the Medal of Honor
for his actions in January 1968 during the Vietnam War
.
. He never knew his father, and his mother raised Dwight and his younger brother by herself.
in Vietnam, he was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 69th Armor
, 4th Infantry Division.
on May 6, 1971. His grave can be found in Section 31 Lot 471. Johnson's mother said: "Sometimes I wonder if Skip tired of this life and needed someone else to pull the trigger".
The poet Michael S. Harper
also wrote a poetry series in 1973 titled Debridement.
One song has been written about Johnson's tragic life (with some "poetic license"):
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
soldier who received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions in January 1968 during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Early life
Johnson was born on May 7, 1947, and lived in the E. J. Jeffries Homes, a housing project in Detroit, MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. He never knew his father, and his mother raised Dwight and his younger brother by herself.
Military service
Drafted to serve in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in Vietnam, he was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 69th Armor
3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment
The 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment is a United States Army combined arms battalion based at Fort Stewart, Georgia. 3–69 AR was the first conventional US unit to enter Iraq in 2003, and among the first units to serve four tours in Iraq...
, 4th Infantry Division.
Medal of Honor citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Specialist 5 Johnson, a tank driver with Company B, was a member of a reaction force moving to aid other elements of his platoon, which was in heavy contact with a battalion size North Vietnamese force. Specialist Johnson's tank, upon reaching the point of contact, threw a track and became immobilized. Realizing that he could do no more as a driver, he climbed out of the vehicle, armed only with a .45 caliber pistol. Despite intense hostile fire, Specialist Johnson killed several enemy soldiers before he had expended his ammunition. Returning to his tank through a heavy volume of antitank rocket, small arms and automatic weapons fire, he obtained a sub-machine gun with which to continue his fight against the advancing enemy. Armed with this weapon, Specialist Johnson again braved deadly enemy fire to return to the center of the ambush site where he courageously eliminated more of the determined foe. Engaged in extremely close combat when the last of his ammunition was expended, he killed an enemy soldier with the stock end of his submachine gun. Now weaponless, Specialist Johnson ignored the enemy fire around him, climbed into his platoon sergeant's tank, extricated a wounded crewmember and carried him to an armored personnel carrier. He then returned to the same tank and assisted in firing the main gun until it jammed. In a magnificent display of courage, Specialist Johnson exited the tank and again armed only with a .45 caliber pistol, he engaged several North Vietnamese troops in close proximity to the vehicle. Fighting his way through devastating fire and remounting his own immobilized tank, he remained fully exposed to the enemy as he bravely and skillfully engaged them with the tank's externally-mounted .50 caliber machine gun; where he remained until the situation was brought under control. Specialist Johnson's profound concern for his fellow soldiers, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.
Post War years
After returning from Vietnam, Johnson had difficulty adjusting to his post war role. Until he was awarded the Medal of Honor, he had trouble finding work and got into great debt. After receiving the medal, he went back to the army and worked as a recruiter and made public relations appearances. When he began missing appointments and speaking engagements, he was sent for medical evaluation. He was diagnosed with a depression caused by Post Vietnam adjustment problems.Death
Just after 11:30 PM on April 29, 1971, Johnson was shot during an armed robbery at an Open Pantry Market convenience store about a mile from his home, in Detroit. Although wounded in the left biceps, during the altercation the store owner opened fire with a .38 caliber handgun. Johnson sustained four bullet wounds, three to the chest and one to the face, and died on the operating table at 4:00 AM on April 30. He was buried in Arlington National CemeteryArlington 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...
on May 6, 1971. His grave can be found in Section 31 Lot 471. Johnson's mother said: "Sometimes I wonder if Skip tired of this life and needed someone else to pull the trigger".
Media
Two plays have been written about Johnson's tragic life, the second of which was also produced and shown on PBS:- Strike Heaven on the Face by Richard WesleyRichard WesleyRichard Wesley is an African American playwright, and screenwriter for television and cinema. He is an associate professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where he is presently the chair of the Rita and Burton Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing.Wesley was born in Newark, New...
- The Medal of Honor Rag by Tom ColeTom Cole (writer)Charles Thomas "Tom" Cole was a playwright and screenwriter. He wrote the screenplay for Smooth Talk.-Biography:Cole was born in 1933 in Paterson, New Jersey. His father was a labor arbitrator...
The poet Michael S. Harper
Michael S. Harper
Michael Steven Harper is an American poet from Brooklyn, who was the Poet Laureate of Rhode Island from 1988 to 1993. He has published ten books of poetry, two of which, "Dear John, Dear Coltrane" and "Images of Kin" , have been nominated for the National Book Award. A great deal of his poetry...
also wrote a poetry series in 1973 titled Debridement.
One song has been written about Johnson's tragic life (with some "poetic license"):
- Bummer by Harry ChapinHarry ChapinHarry Forster Chapin was an American singer-songwriter best known in particular for his folk rock songs including "Taxi", "W*O*L*D", and the number-one hit "Cat's in the Cradle". Chapin was also a dedicated humanitarian who fought to end world hunger; he was a key player in the creation of the...
, on Portrait Gallery, Elektra Entertainment, 1975.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War
- Lembcke, Jerry. The Spitting Image. New York: New York University Press, 1998.