Karl R. Johnson

October 29, 1922 - May 04, 2009

Lt. Col. Karl R. Johnson (USAF, ret.) 86, of Fairborn, Ohio died Monday, May 4, 2009 at the Patriot Ridge Nursing Home.
As an Army lieutenant in World War II, Karl led a combat infantry platoon (2nd Inf. Regt., 5th Div.) during the Battle of the Bulge, crossing of the Moselle and Rhine, and captures of Fort Driant, Frankfurt, and the Ruhr Valley among other actions. After the war he completed B.A. and M.A. degrees at Indiana University and accepted a Regular Air Force Officer's Commission (1947). He taught AF ROTC at I.U. and served at the Pentagon, in England, at Offutt AFB (SAC) and in Vietnam (MAC-V); he survived the bombing of his quarters in Saigon (1964). He was awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge, Bronze Star, and Silver Star (WW II), Purple Heart (Vietnam), and AF Commendation Medal.
After retirement from active duty, Karl served as a civilian in the Foreign Technology Division, Wright-Patterson AFB (1967-84), and is fondly remembered as an effective, considerate supervisor. In retirement after 1984 he devoted himself increasingly to the administration and fellowship of the 2nd Infantry Regiment Officers'
Association. He helped campaign for reactivation of the Regiment, and traveled as the Army's guest to reactivation ceremonies in Vilseck, Germany (1996).
Karl was a member of the North Vernon Masonic Lodge 59 F&AM, and Shriners of Indianapolis; Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity; and Life Member of the Military Officers' Association of America, American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was the son of Robert D. and Mildred
(Petree) Johnson of North Vernon. He was preceded in death by his brother Paul (1998) and by Sarah his devoted wife of 56 years (2004), the former Sarah Losey of North Vernon. They are survived by son Karl R. Jr. (Bob), son Daniel L. and his wife Linda, daughter Elizabeth
(Betsy) Graham and her husband Jack, five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral Information

Rev. Wesley Barnhill will hold brief memorial service at the Belton-Stroup Funeral Home in Fairborn, Ohio on Thursday, May 6 at 2:00 PM. Visitation will be from 12:00 - 2:00 prior to the service. Services will also be held on Friday, May 7 at 2:00 PM at Sawyer~Pickett Funeral Home in North Vernon, Indiana. Visitation will be from 12:00-2:00 prior to the service. Burial with a full military honors will be held at the Vernon Cemetery in Vernon, Indiana.