Major Johnson was a crew member of a C-119B "Flying Boxcar" transport with the 62nd Troop Carrier Squadron, 314th Troop Carrier Group based at Ashiya Air Base, Japan. On 29 March 1951, while on a mission, the aircraft crash landed about six miles south of Hongchon, Korea, killing him.

Johnson was awarded the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.