Tell us about your life and travels since FUHS:
MY COLD WAR
My cold war story starts well before the Cold War. I could do Port Arms with my WWll training rifle as seen in the photo. I also had dress blues when I was in grammar school. The day I turned 17, I enlisted in the 15th Rifle Company US Marine Corps reserve, US Naval Ammunition and Net Depot, Seal Beach, California. Between my Junior and senior year of high school I completed regular Marine Cops boot Camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California.
After graduation from high school I enlisted in the Regular Marine Corps with guaranteed aviation and headed to Camp Pendleton for infantry training (All Marines at the time were basic Infantrymen.)
My next duty station was when I almost felt like a Sailor at NAS Jacksonville, Florida while at Aviation Fundamentals School Class
P. Here they told us about various aviation trades. They said that Parachute Riggers did not get dirty and got to make a parachute jump at school and never loan a mechanic your 7/16th inch wrench. Sounded good to me.
I arrived at NAS Lakehurst in December 1958 and departed in October 1959. During the jump training I developed a cyst on my spine and ended up in the Naval Hospital Number 6 , Philadelphia. While there I got abase of boils and then after discharge I went back for a bone felon. Once all these things were cleared up I went back to Lakehurst and finished school.
I was finely going to be with Marines. I was assigned to the 1st Marine Air Wing, Iwakuni, Japan. My initial assignment was with MARS- 17 (Marine Air Repair Squadron and then VMR-253 (Marine Air Transport Squadron) While in Japan I was an Assistant Scoutmaster of the Iwakuni Scout troop. While at summer camp at Lake Hakone I broke my wrist and was put in a cast for almost nine months.
My final assignment was with VMA-121 (Marine Attack Squadron 121) at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. I was released from active duty early because budget problems that had to do with the Berlin Wall going up.
After being discharged I went back to Japan to get married and reenlist in the Marine Corps. I was told I had to go back to a recruiting station and the closest was Honolulu, Hawaii! Well I had a ticket for Los Angeles so back I went only to find out I could not reenlist because I had to any dependants for my rank.
Well guys I did not want to look like a Japanese school girl and all the air force talked about was electronics so I went and talked to the Army. Told the recruiter I Wanted to go to Japan and he said can’t do that I can send you to the 8th Army, so where is that I asked, he said Korea. I entered the Army at Fort Ord, California. On arriving in Korea I was unassigned. That’s when I became a Military Policeman.
From Korea I went to Hawaii then Infantry Officers Candidate School where I was paneled out the 18th week. Most of my class did not make it out of Viet Nam standing up right so I was very lucky. I ended up doing 22 years in the Army.
I finely received Military Police training after leaving OCS while stationed at Fort Bragg I attended the MP Supervisors class where my class had one Navy Chief and 25 plus Air Force Sergeants.
From Fort Bragg it was back to Korea, then Okinawa for 33 months where I became heavily involved with the Scouting program starting as a Scoutmaster and leaving as a District Commissioner. I was also promoted to Staff Sergeant.
After Okinawa it was off from sea level to Fort Carson, Colorado at 6,500 feet, wow was the air thin there. My job while at Fort Carson was Boy Scout Liaison Officer and running the Scout Hotel. From Fort Carson it was off to Niagara Falls, New York as an Army Recruiter and promoted to Sergeant First Class. Recruiting not being my thing I requested to be sent back to the real Army and was assigned to 519th Military Police Battalion at Fort Meade, Maryland. After almost two years it was off again.
Germany here we come for sixty months. Forty one months on a Nike missile site and the remainder at Headquarters US European Command. During the first part of the tour we lived on the economy in a government apartment the last part of the tour was in base housing at Patch Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany.
I received my notice that I could no longer reenlist so I headed back to where I started Fort Ord. I had come full circle! While with the 7th MP Company I was the operations sergeant and acting First Sergeant.
My retirement parade was a big deal. The whole Division Artillery was the parade unit the other two retirees declined the parade. My folks drove up from San Diego for my Retirement.
As you have noted I like General Eisenhower never had a shot fired at me in anger. The cold was good to me.
When I finished I had received the following awards: Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good, Conduct Medal 7th Award, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal 1st Award, National Defense Service Medal 2d Award, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Expert Rifle and pistol badge, Navy Expert rifle and pistol medal, Army Service Ribbon, Army Professional Development Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, German Armed Forces Proficiency Medal in Gold and German weapons qualification badge in gold.
A PATTERN OF SERVICE
Michael Harris “Mike” Johnson SR moved to Fullerton in 1945, He attended Fullerton Union High School graduating in 1958 to become an Indian forever.
His pattern of service began when he earned his Eagle Scout in award in 1955 and continues to this day. After graduating from high school he served numerous volunteer scouting position from being an Assistant Scoutmaster to various District and Council positions. During two summers he supervised the Scout Hotel at Fort Carson Colorado housing and feeding over 7,000 youth group members each summer. For his service to scouting he has been awarded; the Scouters Training Award, Scouters Key for Scoutmaster and Commissioner, Scoutmasters Award of Merit, The St George Award, the District Award of Merit, the James E West Award and is the holder of the Wood Badge trainers beads.
Shortly after turning 17 he joined the US Marine Corps Reserve while still in high school and attended Marine Corps Boot Camp between his junior and senior summer. Upon graduation he enlisted in the regular Marine Corps. Serving as an Assistant Scoutmaster in Japan and an Associate Air Explorer Advisor.
After completing his Marine Corps service he enlisted in the United States Army spending 22 years until retirement in 1985.
His military awards in clued: Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achieve Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal 7th Award, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal 1st Award, National Defense Service Medal 2d Award, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon with number 5, German Armed Forces Proficiency Award in Gold and the Expert Rifle and Pistol Marksmanship badges.
While in the service of his country he was a volunteer Scout leader, Army Community Service volunteer and a unit representative to the Non Commissioned Offices Council.
After retiring from the Army he continued as a volunteer Scout leader and be came involved with the Marine Corps League and Young Marines program. He was Vice Commandant and Chaplain of his local Marine Corps League detachment.
He also became involved in the California State Military Reserve serving 10 years as a Command Sergeant Major. This also led to his involvement with the American Red Cross disaster services. He deployed to four national incidents traveling as far s Puerto Rico for three weeks.
Since moving back to Fullerton he has also been involved with the Fullerton Union High School POW Wow Reunion as his class representative and Committee Chairman during his classes hosting of the event. He also served on his class’s 50th year reunion committee.
He served two terms on the City of Fullerton Airport Noise and Safety commission. He helps out where he can with the Leon Owens Foundation at the annual golf tournament.
This pattern of service has spanned nearly 55 years and continues to this day.
BS State U of the State of NY
4 Associate degrees
