[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 55 (Wednesday, April 21, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4024-S4025]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO ADMIRAL ROY LEE JOHNSON, USN (RET.)

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, our nation has lost a truly great American 
in the recent passing of Admiral Roy Lee Johnson, USN (Ret.), who died 
March 20th in Virginia Beach, Virginia at the age of 93. My Senate 
colleagues should know that he was the father of Jo-Anne Coe, long-time 
top aide to Senator Bob Dole. We all join in sending our deepest 
sympathy to Jo-Anne and her family.
  Admiral Johnson had a distinguished Naval career of over 38 years, 
culminating in his appointment as Commander in Chief of U.S. Naval 
forces in the Pacific (CINCPACFLT) from 1965-67 at the height of the 
Vietnam conflict. Prior to this, he was Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet. 
In his capacity, he gave

[[Page S4025]]

the order to the USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy to fire back at Viet 
Cong gunboats in the Tonkin Gulf incident.
  Admiral Johnson graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1929. A 
pioneer of naval aviation, he received his wings in 1932, and served as 
a flight instructor at the U.S. Navy flight school at Pensacola, 
Florida, in the biplane era in the early 1930's and again in the 
1950's. After retirement, he served a term as president of the Early 
and Pioneer Naval Aviators Association, nicknamed ``The Golden 
Eagles'', and from 1980-81 was President of the Naval Academy Alumni 
Association.
  During World War Two he served on the USS Hornet, which won a 
Presidential Unit Citation. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Air 
Medal, and the Legion of Merit with gold star for his service in action 
which included campaigns against Japanese forces in the Philippines, 
Wake and Truk Islands, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He also saw action during 
the Korean War, as Commanding Officer of the escort carrier USS Badoeng 
Strait.
  In 1955 he became the first Commanding officer of the USS Forrestal 
(CVA 59), the first of the ``supercarriers'', receiving this coveted 
appointment after developing operational procedures for this new class 
of carrier which were still in use at least 15 years later. In this 
role he was promoted to Rear Admiral and later assumed command of 
Carrier Division Four, with the Forrestal as his flagship.
  In January 1960, he was named Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for 
Plans and Policy. Two years later he was promoted to Vice Admiral and 
became the Navy's senior representative in determining U.S. air strike 
priorities during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
  In July 1963, he became Deputy Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific 
Fleet and a year later was appointed Commander of the U.S. Seventh 
Fleet. For his service in these assignments he was awarded a second 
Distinguished Service Medal. In 1965, he was promoted to full Admiral 
and became CINCPACFLT. He was the last U.S. Military Governor of the 
Bonin Islands, which include Iwo Jima.
  Admiral Johnson's exceptionally distinguished military career and 
achievements as a private citizen stand out as an example of the 
selfless devotion to our country that only a few Americans have 
exemplified. Hopefully, his achievements will serve as the standard for 
our naval officers and citizens to strive to achieve. His lasting 
contributions to ensuring the freedoms and greatness of our nation are 
his legacy. Admiral Johnson will be profoundly missed and fondly 
remembered by all who knew him and by others who only know of his 
exceptional service to our country.

                          ____________________