Gerald Richard Johnson (June 23, 1920 – October 7, 1945) was a World War II flying ace who flew for the United States Army Air Forces.

He scored his first confirmed aerial victories on July 23, when he shot down a Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar" and a Kawasaki Ki-61 "Tony", over Markham Valley, New Guinea.

As they maneuvered into position, one of the aircraft in Johnson's formation could not drop its auxiliary fuel tanks, while another blew a supercharger.

His heavy fire tore the wing off a Japanese fighter and sent it spiraling, in the process ripping off Johnson's port (left) tail boom assembly.

Johnson managed to regain control of his aircraft and was escorted back to base by the remaining friendly planes.

Johnson shot down an Oscar and two Aichi D3A "Vals", on that day and successfully managed to disperse the enemy formation and divert it from the target, making him a flying ace but at the cost of his own aircraft.

[2] On November 15, 1943 while flying a P-38, Johnson attacked a formation of two Royal Australian Air Force CAC Boomerangs and two Curtiss P-40 Warhawks who were returning to base.

He shot down Boomerang serial number A46-136 piloted by Flying Officer Robert McColl Stewart,[6] who survived the subsequent crash and fire.

[4] Returning to the Pacific in October 1944, he was one of the first USAAF fighter pilots to arrive at Tacloban on Leyte in the Philippines, as P-38s from the 49th FG touched down on the freshly carved airstrip.

He scored his last aerial victory on April 2, when he shot down a Nakajima Ki-44 "Tojo", during a fighter sweep over Hong Kong.

[9][10] A few weeks after World War II ended, Johnson was assigned as commander of Atsugi Air Base, Japan.

[2] On 7 October 1945, Johnson was flying a B-25 Mitchell from Ie Shima Airfield to Atsugi AB, when it flew into a typhoon and was hopelessly lost in the black skies.

"[8] The Irumagawa Airfield, which is located in the city of Sayama, north of western Tokyo, Japan, was renamed Johnson Air Base, in honor of him.

Supporting squadrons of allied fighters then entered the combat and turned back the enemy force with no damage to our shipping or installations.