Dean Raymond Johnson
Private First Class, U.S. Army

Dean Raymond Johnson was born on 12 May 1950, the son of Raymond E. and Dorothy L. Johnson.

Dean enlisted in the U.S. Army on 23 September 1968.

On 27 April 1969, Private First Class Dean Raymond Johnson was serving with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, in South Vietnam.

On that day, PFC Johnson was a perimeter guard at Company B's night defensive position in Hau Nhgia Province. While he was manning a listening post 50 meters outside the perimeter, an estimated-company of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong assaulted under the cover of mortar, rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire. Ordered to pull back, PFC Johnson made his way to within 10 meters of the perimeter and began placing suppressive fire on the aggressors. After temporarily halting their advance, he crossed the defensive wire and continued to fight the enemy. When a strategic section of the perimeter was overrun, he moved through the hostile barrage to within 10 meters of the communists and engaged the enemy with fragmentation grenades and small arms fire. He held his ground against the enemy advance until he was mortally wounded by hostile fire. PFC Johnson's extraordinary heroism, at the cost of his life, earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Bronze Star Medal (Merit)

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Private First Class Dean Raymond Johnson (ASN: RA-16946576), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Company B, 2d Battalion, 12th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Private First Class Johnson distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 27 April 1969 as a perimeter guard at his company's night defensive position in Hau Nhgia Province. While he was manning a listening post fifty meters outside the perimeter, an estimated company of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong assaulted under the cover of mortar, rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire. Ordered to pull back, Private Johnson made his way to within ten meters of the perimeter and then turned to place heavy suppressive fire on the aggressors. After temporarily halting their advance, he crossed the defensive wire and continued to combat the foe. When a strategic section of the perimeter was overrun, he moved through the hostile barrage to within ten meters of the communists and engaged the enemy with fragmentation grenades and small arms fire. He held his ground against the determined enemy advance until he was mortally wounded by hostile fire. Private First Class Johnson's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 2201 (June 23, 1969)

Honors

The name Dean R Johnson is located on Panel 26W Line 63 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Burial

Private First Class Dean Raymond Johnson is buried at Wildwood Cemetery in Wheaton, Traverse County, MN.

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