Ralph H. Johnson

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Ralph Henry Johnson
January 11, 1949 - March 5, 1968
Place of birth	Charleston, South Carolina
Place of death	KIA in Vietnam
Allegiance	USMC
Years of service	1967-1968
Rank	Private First Class
Unit	1st ReconBn
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Medal of Honor Purple Heart

Ralph Henry Johnson (1949-1968) was a United States Marine who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in March 1968 during the Vietnam War. He sacrificed his life to save the life of a fellow Marine.

Johnson was born on 11 January 1949, in Charleston, South Carolina. He attended Sinemonton Elementary School and Courtnay Elementary School in Charleston.

Contents 1 Marine Corps service 2 Decorations and honors 2.1 Military decorations 2.2 Honors 3 Medal of Honor citation 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Marine Corps service

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve at Oakland, California on 23 March 1967, and was discharged to enlist in the regular Marine Corps on 2 July 1967.

Upon completion of recruit training with the 1st Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California, in September 1967, he was transferred to the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California. He underwent individual combat training with Company Y, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, and basic infantry training with the Basic Infantry Training Company, 2nd Infantry Training Regiment, completing the latter in November 1967. He was promoted to private first class on 1 November 1967.

In January 1968, he arrived in the Republic of Vietnam, and served as a reconnaissance scout with Company A, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division. On 5 March 1968, while on Operation Rock, deep in enemy-held territory near the Quan Duc Valley, he was killed in action. His heroic actions on that day were recognized with a posthumous award of the United States' highest military decoration — the Medal of Honor.

Ralph H. Johnson is buried in the Beaufort National Cemetery in South Carolina.

[edit] Decorations and honors

[edit] Military decorations

A complete list of his medals and decorations includes: the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze stars, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, the Vietnamese Military Merit Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

[edit] Honors

The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, South Carolina in named in honor of PFC Johnson; the hospital was dedicated on September 5, 1991.

Johnson's name in written on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. on Panel 43E, Line 008.

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS RALPH H. JOHNSON
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a reconnaissance scout with Company A, First Reconnaissance Battalion, First Marine Division in action against the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong forces in the Republic of Vietnam. In the early morning hours of 5 March 1968, during OPERATION ROCK, First Class Johnson was a member of a fifteen-man reconnaissance patrol manning an observation post on Hill 146 overlooking the Quan Duc Valley deep in enemy controlled territory. They were attacked by a platoon-size hostile force employing automatic weapons, satchel charges and hand grenades. Suddenly a hand grenade landed in the three- man fighting hole occupied by Private First Class Johnson and two fellow Marines. Realizing the inherent danger to his comrades, he shouted a warning and unhesitatingly hurled himself upon the explosive device. When the grenade exploded, Private First Class Johnson absorbed the tremendous impact of the blast and was killed instantly. His prompt and heroic act saved the life of one Marine at the cost of his own and undoubtedly prevented the enemy from penetrating his sector of the patrol's perimeter. Private First Class Johnson's courage inspiring valor and selfless devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

/S/ RICHARD M. NIXON

[edit] References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps.

• Private First Class Ralph H. Johnson, USMC, Who's Who in Marine Corps History, History Division, United States Marine Corps.
• Medal of Honor citation
• Ralph Henry Johnson at Find A Grave.

[edit] External links

• Ralph H. Johnson, VirtualWall.org.
• Botch, Robert E. (1998) "PFC Ralph Johnson, USMC", Political Science Department, University of South Carolina-Aiken, January 1998. (URL accessed April 16, 2006)