Born in rural Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, John was
the fourth of Mozella and William Johnston’s five children. Living in rural
communities demanded physical strength and a spiritual integrity that would serve
him throughout life. As a young man he worked a multitude of jobs to assist his
family and in 1955 John joined the U.S. Air Force upon High School graduation. He
trained as a Titan 2 ICBM communications operator and parachutist. Ever ready
to challenge himself, John was selected to join Air Force Combat Controllers/Special
Forces and participated in conflicts worldwide. John became a decorated Vietnam
War veteran. During the Southeast Asia conflict John became a shadow warrior in
covert missions in Laos and Cambodia. His name is among those commemorated on a
monument at Combat Controller’s Headquarters in North Carolina. He concluded
his Air Force career as an NCO Academy Instructor at Bergstrom AFB. Senior Master
Sergeant Johnston retired his accomplished and decorated 24-year military
career in 1979. After a long bout with
Parkinson’s disease, John passed away on May 16, 2015.
John was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on November
2, 2015.
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