JOHNSON, GUY DAVID
Remains Returned 18 March 1977
Name: Guy David Johnson
Rank/Branch: O4/US Navy
Unit:
Date of Birth: 26 November 1929
Home City of Record: Seattle WA
Date of Loss: 20 December 1965
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 205806N 1070400E (XJ931196)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 2
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: RA5C
Refno: 0215
Other Personnel In Incident: Lee E. Nordahl (missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 October 1990 from one or more
of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources,
correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.
Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK 2020.
REMARKS: 770318 SRV RET REMS TO PCOM
SYNOPSIS: LCdr. Guy D. Johnson was the pilot of a Vigilante (RA5C version)
assigned a reconnaissance mission near Hon Gay city in Quang Ninh Province,
North Vietnam on December 20, 1965. His co-pilot on the mission was Lt.JG Lee E.
Nordahl. The Vigilante carried reconnaissance equipment and was to gather
intelligence over North Vietnam, which would subsequently be fed into shipboard
computers for later mission planning.
During the mission, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire and crashed. Intelligence
was received later which indicated that the two crewmen were dead, but was not
totally confirmed, and they were listed Missing in Action.
In 1977, the Vietnamese "discovered" the remains of Guy D. Johnson and returned
them to American control. The obvious question is, if Johnson was recovered, why
not Nordahl? For 12 years, the Vietnamese have denied knowledge of the fate of
Guy Johnson and Lee Nordahl, even though the U.S. believes the Vietnamese could
account for them.
Disturbing testimony was given to Congress in 1980 that the Vietnamese
"stockpiled" the remains of Americans to return at politically advantageous
times. Was Johnson waiting in a casket, for just such a moment?
Even more disturbing are the over 10,000 reports received by the U.S. relating
to Americans missing in Southeast Asia. Many authorities who have examined this
information (largely classified), have reluctantly come to the conclusion that
many Americans are still alive in Southeast Asia. Could Nordahl be among them?
Perhaps the most compelling questions when remains are returned are, "Is it
really who they say it is?", and "How -- and when -- did he die?" As long as
reports continue to be received which indicate Americans are still alive in
Indochina, we can only regard the return of remains as a politically expedient
way to show "progress" on accounting for American POW/MIAs. As long as reports
continue to be received, we must wonder how many are alive, and why they aren't
home.
Guy D. Johnson was promoted to the rank of Captain and Lee E. Nordahl to the
rank of Lieutenant Commander during the period they were maintained missing.
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01/2020
https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaOurMissing
On May 31, 1977, the Central Identification Lab-Hawaii (CILHI,
now DPAA) identified the remains of Captain Guy David Johnson,
missing from the Vietnam War.
Captain Johnson entered the U.S. Navy from Washington and served
with Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron 13, embarked aboard
the USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63). On December 20, he piloted an RA-5C
Vigilante (bureau number 151642) that launched from the Kitty
Hawk for a bomb damage assessment mission north of Haiphong,
North Vietnam. The aircraft was shot down by the enemy during
the mission and CAPT Johnson was killed. Since the loss area was
in enemy territory, his body could not be recovered at the time.
In 1977, the Vietnamese government returned his remains to the
U.S. and analysts confirmed the identification.
If you are a family member of this serviceman, you may contact your casualty office representative to learn more about your service member.