Welcome to the web site dedicated to my father-in-law P-38 Pilot Lt. John Raymond Johnson (0685993 AUS).  Ray flew the  P-38 in the South Pacific and Southwest Pacific from 1943 to the end of the war.  He was with the "Fighting Cocks" of the 67th Fighter Squadron (Unit 1), 347th Fighter Group, 13th USAAF.  Ray flew 80 missions in both the P-39 and the P-38 (most versions up to "L").  He flew 497 hours overseas, 203.55 hrs were in a P-39 and 293.35 hours were flying a P-38.  Ray also had some hours in a RA-24B (once) and a UC-78 (twice).  On his discharge papers it was written "Lt. Johnson is an excellent pilot and has performed his combat duties in a most superior manner".  Two of the medals he was awarded was the Air Medal and two Oak Leaf Clusters.    Some others in his squadron (known) were Theodore R. Newton, Joseph A. LeDoux, George T. Dubis, Fred Gleason, Gordon K. Wright, Gene Jelcick, John Holman, Bob Ingstad, Arthur Powell, Harold L. Saltsgaver, Dan L. Shaw, Don Lee, Arthur Durtschi, George Gray, Raymond A. Sofaly, Robert Salling, Malcombe Smith, Bud Newton, Bob Gardner, Wallace Jewel, Wally Twitchell, Dick Holcombe, Wilburn S. Rose, Albert C. Alt, William Schnell, Al Penza, Wilfred Pagel, Albert J. Meulendyke, Wilfred Rodems, Donald Terhune, Craig Fairburn, Stephen L. Borne, Carl Faiks and Robert R. Scott.  Others (last names known only) were Blankenship, Veazy, Hoerner, King, Easser, and Springer.  Ray passed on a couple of years ago.  We all miss him very much.  See "mission section" for more information.



 The 13th "Jungle" air force

"On my first confrontation with the P-38, I was astonished to find an American aircraft that could outrun, outclimb, and outdive our Zero which we thought was the most superior fighter plane in the world. The Lightning's great speed, its sensational high altitude performance, and especially its ability to dive and climb much faster than the Zero presented insuperable problems for our fliers. The P-38 pilots, flying at great height, chose when and where they wanted to fight with disastrous results for our own men. The P-38 boded ill for the future and destroyed the morale of the Zero fighter Pilot."...Saburo Sakai, Japanese Ace