Private First Class Johnson was a member of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He developed spiral meningitis and hemorrhagic fever and was taken to the 11th Evacuation Hospital at Wonju, South Korea, where he died on 15 June 1952.

Johnson was awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal.