A highly decorated Air Force combat veteran, Johnson was a prisoner of war for nearly seven years in Hanoi. After military service, he was elected to the Texas State House of Representatives, and is now a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, to which he has been elected nine times. He received the 2009 Congressional Medal of Honor and the National Patriot Award. A Southern Methodist University graduate, he was commissioned through the ROTC, completing Air Force pilot training in 1952. He flew 62 combat missions in Korea in the F-86. Johnson was selected for the Thunderbirds in 1957, flying the F-100C in both solo and slot positions. Later, he served as the Chief of Weapons Training with the 48th TFW in Europe. He was operations officer for the 433rd Fighter Squadron at Nellis AFB, later serving as director of the Air Force Fighter Weapons School. In 1965, Johnson was assigned to duty in Vietnam. On his second tour, he was shot down on April 16, 1966, flying an F-4 Phantom with the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. He was a POW for nearly seven years, more than half of that in solitary confinement.  Johnson returned home in February 1973. The following year, he completed a master's degree at George Washington University, becoming Deputy Commander for Operations, and later Vice Commander of the 4th TFW at Seymour Johnson AFB, NC. Congressman Johnson retired from the Air Force in 1979.
Inducted in 2015.
Portrait Location: Near R-44 and B-5 Brougham

Induction Video