Captain evades enemy fighter to become ace

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LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Most Air Force fighter wings have three fighter squadrons assigned, each with 24 fighters and 32 to 35 pilots authorized. During World War II, Capt. Robert Johnson, 61st FS, became one of the 56th Fighter Group's top aces when he destroyed 27 enemy aircraft, or more than the equivalent of a full fighter squadron. 

The fact that Captain Johnson compiled 27 aerial victories was significant, but more so was the fact that he killed or injured 27 enemy pilots. As the war neared its end in the spring of 1945, Luftwaffe pilots became irreplaceable assets. 

An Oklahoma native, Captain Johnson served in the Army Air Force from 1941 to 1946 and separated as a lieutenant colonel. He was one of many air warriors who in World War II accomplished amazing feats of bravery against a determined enemy, but also lived through fantastic experiences. 

One such experience occurred on June 26, 1943, when 48 P-47 Thunderbolt fighters from the 61st FS were escorting B-17 bombers against targets in occupied France. Captain Johnson was on the tail end of the formation when it was attacked by 16 Luftwaffe FW 190 fighters. 

Although the Thunderbolts sported eight 50-caliber machine guns, the enemy fighters were equipped with 20mm cannons. A single hit from a cannon could destroy an aircraft, and Johnson's Thunderbolt was hit. 

The blast destroyed the hydraulics, set it afire and jammed the canopy shut so he could not eject. His fighter went into a spin, but he was able to recover before hitting the ground when the spin put the fire out. 

Many of the Thunderbolt's systems were damaged, including his guns. Defenseless except for his flying skills, Captain Johnson headed for home with a single FW 190 continuing to fire at him. He persistently rolled and turned the aircraft to evade the enemy until the FW 190 ran out of ammo. He later learned that his unit lost two fighters that day. 

But Captain Johnson also experienced good days and routinely destroyed two enemy aircraft during single missions. He gained ace status in October 1943 and was transferred to the 62nd FS in March 1944. Two months later he broke World War I ace Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker's record when he got his 27th aerial victory. 

As the war drew near to its end, the 56th FG posted some fantastic accomplishments. One involved an escort mission three weeks before the end of the war. During the flight home, 56th FG P-47s overflew an enemy field where 200 warplanes were parked. The Thunderbolts attacked the site and destroyed 190 of the aircraft. 

Three weeks before the end of the war, Germany still had lots of warplanes, but no fuel. That was because three months previously the 56th FG attacked and destroyed synthetic petroleum facilities at Magdeburg, Germany. The Germans no longer had access to the Ploesti oil fields in the Balkans and the destruction of the synthetic petroleum facilities left Germany without a fuel source. 

Additionally, the 56th FG damaged or destroyed some 1,600 enemy aircraft in World War II. More significantly, the 56th FG killed or injured up to 1,600 enemy pilots. During the last days of the war, Germany began training 16 and 17-year olds in fighter operations, but those young men could not compete against battle-hardened Allied pilots. 

The destruction of German fuel resources and of the Luftwaffe's rated manning corps by air warriors such as Captain Johnson played a significant role in the Allied victory over the Axis Powers. 

Courtesy of 56th Fighter Wing Historical office