John Alvin Johnson
Encyclopedia
John Alvin Johnson was a United States
lawyer and businessman who was General Counsel of the Air Force
from 1952 to 1958; General Counsel
of NASA
from 1958 to 1963; and an executive at COMSAT
from 1963 to 1980, having become CEO by the time of his retirement.
. He was raised in Hammond, Indiana
. He was educated at DePauw University
, receiving a bachelor's degree
in 1937. He then attended the University of Chicago Law School
, receiving a law degree in 1940. During his time at law school, he met and married his wife Harriet Nelson, an undergraduate student at the University of Chicago.
Johnson practiced law in Chicago
until 1943, when he was drafted
into the United States Navy
. During World War II
, he was a naval officer on board the USS Robert H. Smith (DM-23)
. After the war, he studied at Harvard University
, receiving a master's degree
, and then moved to Washington, D.C.
in 1946, joining the United States Department of State
as an assistant for international security affairs.
Johnson joined the Office of the General Counsel of the Air Force
in 1949. From 1952 until October 7, 1958, he was General Counsel of the Air Force. He was then the General Counsel
of NASA
from 1958 to 1963.
In 1949, Johnson had moved to Falls Church, Virginia
and won election to the Falls Church School Board. In the wake of Brown v. Board of Education
, in 1955, Johnson argued in favor of rapid school desegregation
in Falls Church. He opposed Sen.
Harry F. Byrd
's call for massive resistance
to school desegregation. However, he was unable to prevail and Falls Church schools remained segregated. He left the Falls Church School Board in 1958, when he moved to Arlington County, Virginia
when he took his job at NASA.
Johnson left government service in 1963, joining COMSAT
, as director of international arrangements. He was promoted to Vice President in 1964 and Senior Vice President in 1973. He later served as CEO of COMSAT until he retired in 1980.
Johnson died in summer 2005.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer and businessman who was General Counsel of the Air Force
General Counsel of the Air Force
The General Counsel of the Air Force is the general counsel of the United States Department of the Air Force.By U.S. law, the General Counsel of the Air Force is appointed from civilian life by the President of the United States upon the advice and consent of the United States Senate...
from 1952 to 1958; General Counsel
General Counsel
A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
of NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
from 1958 to 1963; and an executive at COMSAT
COMSAT
The Communications Satellite Corporation is a global telecommunications company, based in the USA, and with branches in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela and several other countries in the Americas. It is present also in Turkey...
from 1963 to 1980, having become CEO by the time of his retirement.
Biography
John Alvin Johnson was born in Milwaukee in 1915 to a family of Norwegian descentNorwegian American
Norwegian Americans are Americans of Norwegian descent. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the later half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century. There are more than 4.5 million Norwegian Americans according to the most recent U.S. census, and...
. He was raised in Hammond, Indiana
Hammond, Indiana
Hammond is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The population was 80,830 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hammond is located at ....
. He was educated at DePauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
, receiving a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 1937. He then attended the University of Chicago Law School
University of Chicago Law School
The University of Chicago Law School was founded in 1902 as the graduate school of law at the University of Chicago and is among the most prestigious and selective law schools in the world. The U.S. News & World Report currently ranks it fifth among U.S...
, receiving a law degree in 1940. During his time at law school, he met and married his wife Harriet Nelson, an undergraduate student at the University of Chicago.
Johnson practiced law in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
until 1943, when he was drafted
Conscription in the United States
Conscription in the United States has been employed several times, usually during war but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War...
into the United States Navy
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...
. 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 was a naval officer on board the USS Robert H. Smith (DM-23)
USS Robert H. Smith (DM-23)
USS Robert H. Smith was the lead ship of her class of destroyer minelayers in the United States Navy. She was named for naval officer Robert H. Smith.-Construction:...
. After the war, he studied at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, receiving a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, and then moved to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1946, joining the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
as an assistant for international security affairs.
Johnson joined the Office of the General Counsel of the Air Force
General Counsel of the Air Force
The General Counsel of the Air Force is the general counsel of the United States Department of the Air Force.By U.S. law, the General Counsel of the Air Force is appointed from civilian life by the President of the United States upon the advice and consent of the United States Senate...
in 1949. From 1952 until October 7, 1958, he was General Counsel of the Air Force. He was then the General Counsel
General Counsel
A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
of NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
from 1958 to 1963.
In 1949, Johnson had moved to Falls Church, Virginia
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
and won election to the Falls Church School Board. In the wake of Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
, in 1955, Johnson argued in favor of rapid school desegregation
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
in Falls Church. He opposed Sen.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Harry F. Byrd
Harry F. Byrd
Harry Flood Byrd, Sr. of Berryville in Clarke County, Virginia, was an American newspaper publisher, farmer and politician. He was a descendant of one of the First Families of Virginia...
's call for massive resistance
Massive resistance
Massive resistance was a policy declared by U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr. on February 24, 1956, to unite other white politicians and leaders in Virginia in a campaign of new state laws and policies to prevent public school desegregation after the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision...
to school desegregation. However, he was unable to prevail and Falls Church schools remained segregated. He left the Falls Church School Board in 1958, when he moved to Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
when he took his job at NASA.
Johnson left government service in 1963, joining COMSAT
COMSAT
The Communications Satellite Corporation is a global telecommunications company, based in the USA, and with branches in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela and several other countries in the Americas. It is present also in Turkey...
, as director of international arrangements. He was promoted to Vice President in 1964 and Senior Vice President in 1973. He later served as CEO of COMSAT until he retired in 1980.
Johnson died in summer 2005.