William Dovey "W.D" or "Bill" Johnson
Prior rate: AXC
Final rate/grade: AWCS
Born: August 11, 1925
Died: June 10, 2002
W.D. retired from VS-41 in c. 1980 as an AWCS (with over 35 to 40 years active duty time, not including his reserve time). The reason W.D. is so significant in all this is that not only was he a plankowner AW but he was also the oldest Navy aircrewman on active duty during those times and remained that way up till he retired. W.D. is buried at the Ft Rosecrans National Cemetery (Section CBEE, Row 1, Site 112) San Diego, CA

Shipmate Comments:

AWCS (Ret.) Calvin B. Harris:
My first Navy flight was with W.D. Johnson in an S-2D and he was my original Sea Daddy.

AWCS (Ret.) Kim Morgan:
When I first worked for him as an instructor in VS-41 W.D. was 55 years old (1978), a carrier combat veteran of the South Pacific campaigns during WWII. He flew as an ATR/machine gunner, at 19 years old, in TBM Avengers, shot down two times (With one of his pilots being killed under him. His first combat deployment in the early years of WWII, he went to sea with 30 aircrewmen in his squadron aircrew division; 15 returned. All these things he told me personally when he was drunk. [Never talked about those times unless he was drunk, never sober]).

Naval Aviation magazine did an article on him c. 1976 which depicted the fact he was the oldest Naval Aircrewman on active duty, with his BIO, and it was an excellent write up. In fact I may even have a copy of it in my attic.

W.D. was a very revered man by all the AW's who worked for him (at least me and a bunch that I knew). He went from TBM's, to whatever those two aircraft were from TBM's to S-2's to S-3A's because he never flew in anything but carrier based aicraft his whole career that I'm aware of. In fact, I remember that was why he became a Plankowner AW just to stay carrier based flying. He also wanted to fly in that S-3A "Jet."

Now, there will be a bunch of AW's who worked for W.D. over the years who will tell you that he wasn't that great of an AW. I think it had more to do with the fact he couldn't keep up with the rapid increase/influx of higher technology in emerging computerized carrier ASW airborne systems. A common theme amongst the "elderly" of all rapid changes in new technologies. But W.D. was "Bulletproof" and he had balls. Plus, he knew his Sailors and was a fair leader.

Media Sources:
Sierra Star, June 14, 2002
OAKHURST — AWCS William D. Johnson, retired from the U.S. Navy, died in Fresno on June 10. Private interment will be held later at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery at San Diego. Final arrangements are under the direction of Neptune Society of Central California.
Mr. Johnson was born in Pensacola, Florida, on August 11, 1925. Following retirement from the Navy, Mr. Johnson resided in Oakhurst for 20 years. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Surviving is Mr. Johnson’s wife, Carolyn, and his son, Frank Johnson of San Mateo. Remembrances: Nancy Hinds Hospice Home, 1416 West Twain, Fresno 93711.