Gone West... Russell "the Professor" Johnson

[F4U-1]

From Wikipedia ...
After high school, in the midst of World War II, Johnson joined the United States Army Air Forces as an aviation cadet and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He flew 44 combat missions as a bombardier in B-25 bombers. While flying as a navigator in a B-25 with the 100th Bombardment Squadron, 42nd Bombardment Group, 13th Air Force, his plane and two other B-25s were shot down in the Philippines in March 1945 during a low level bombing and strafing run against Japanese targets. The planes were hit by intense flak and had to ditch in the waters off the port of Zamboanga. During the ditching, he broke both his ankles and the radioman next to him was killed. Johnson earned a Purple Heart for this mission. He was also awarded the Air Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three service stars, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one service star, and the World War II Victory Medal. He was honorably discharged with the rank of first lieutenant on November 22, 1945. He then joined the Army Reserve.

RIP sir, you will be missed.

[Matt Gunsch]

He could build a radio using coconuts, but could not build a raft..

Another of the Greats are gone,

[bdk]

Beat you to the punch by 13 minutes...

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=51957

[CoastieJohn]

I just seen a western a few days ago with him in it. I knew he did a few western flicks too. One thought from his bio posted above.....did officers in the USAAF get Good Conduct Medals? Nowadays it is an enlisted thing.

[JohnB]

....did officers in the USAAF get Good Conduct Medals? Nowadays it is an enlisted thing.

THAT could explain why I never got one!
(or else a certain female captain blabbed to someone...).


RIP to Mr. Johnson, I had no idea he had such an impressive war record.

[Sgt13Echo]

Here is a link to his military history and bio.

http://guardianofvalor.com/russell-john ... passes-89/

[airnutz]

He could build a radio using coconuts, but could not build a raft..

Another of the Greats are gone,

Worse than that! He couldn't figure how patch the hole in the Minnow!
I waited in vain thru all of those episodes....

[CH2Tdriver]

Anyone remember this one? "The Castaways of Gilligan's Island". It was one of the "reunion" movies made in the late 70's when they tried to revive the series. I remember they used a C-45 for the "Minnow III" and a derelect SBD cockpit, which Gilligan ends up sitting in the tail gunners seat playing around and ends up shooting up the huts with the twin .30 cals.

Here's the synopsis from IMDB. I wonder whose C-45 they used?

"The movie picks up directly after the end of Rescue From Gilligan's Island. The castaways are once again stranded on the same island that they had been on for so many years. The storm has contaminated all of the underground springs, and they are desperately searching for fresh water. Gilligan stumbles upon a couple of planes that are hidden in the jungle that they had somehow managed to overlook during all their time on the island. It is revealed that the island was a base of operations for the Army Air Corps during World War II, and the hangar was abandoned and overgrown by jungle brush. The tidal wave destroyed the foliage and exposed the hangar. The Professor believes that he can combine the two planes into one and fly them all back to civilization. He succeeds in cobbling together an airworthy plane and, dubbing it Minnow III, they head back. This occurs despite the fact that in the original series it is established that the Professor cannot fly a plane in not one but two different episodes with the character Wrongway Feldman.

However, during the attempt to fly back to Hawaii, the plane has engine trouble. The professor orders Gilligan to jettison some weight, and in doing so, Gilligan falls out and has to parachute down to the island. Against their better judgment, the gang decides to return to the island to get him. They find him stuck in a tree. After a little while, the engines of the plane fall off. Fortunately for them, the engines collapse after they land, meaning that although they are still stuck on the island, going back to get Gilligan saved them from plummeting to their deaths. But now they are dismayed because the plane was their last hope of rescue. Their despair is quickly dispelled when a U.S. Navy captain appears saying that their plane was detected on radar long enough for them to follow it to the island. The castaways are once again returned to civilization and to ensure that Gilligan's Island gets charted, the U.S. government pinpoints the location of the island to prevent future castaway incidents. This closed the first half of the two-part episode/movie."

[Dan Jones]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7FmsZKw9_k

[bdk]

Gadzooks! Ginger has been replaced!!!!!!

[bgp429]

Think Ginger was replaced during the last season. It kind of odd you don't normally hear about the war records of actors until after they pass. Never knew Russell was in the war. The show has been recently replaying on the ME network. Grew up on it as a kid. Brings back memories.

[Chappie]

Wow, I had no idea Professor had been in the USAAF.


Chappie

[CoastieJohn]

Wow, I had no idea Professor had been in the USAAF.


Chappie

FYI only....the "Skipper":

During World War II, Hale, Jr., enlisted in the United States Coast Guard. After the death of his father in 1950, Hale dropped the "Junior" from his name.[4]

[tom d. friedman]

alan hale was the spitting image of his dad, who was a big shot actor in the 30's & 40's & was in many 4 star movies. i wonder if jim backus had a ww2 service history??

[maxum96]

i wonder if jim backus had a ww2 service history??

I don't think so. I did a google search and went to several web sites with bio's on him. But nothing about military service.