Posted on 05/27/2020 8:13:12 PM PDT by Galactic Overlord-In-Chief
Former Texas Rep. Sam Johnson, a military pilot who spent years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam before serving more than two decades in Congress, died Wednesday at age 89.
The conservative Republican, who lived in the northern Dallas suburb of Plano, died at a Plano hospital of natural causes unrelated to the coronavirus outbreak, said his former spokesman, Ray Sullivan.
Johnson flew nearly 100 combat missions in Korea and Vietnam. He was flying a bombing mission in 1966 when he was shot down and wounded. He was imprisoned in the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" for nearly seven years, mostly in solitary confinement. He retired from the Air Force as a colonel in 1979, after a 29-year career.
The ardent conservative and anti-communist was elected to Congress in 1991 after six years in the Texas House of Representatives. He vowed to stay a maximum of 12 years, though he served more than double that.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
RIP Rep. Johnson.
Thank you.
Col. Johnson was one of the finest individuals to have served in Congress. RIP.
May God comfort the family and friends of this good soul.
Godspeed, patriot !
God bless you, wonderful military hero.
I loved watching him on C-Span.
He was one of the best. A lovely gentleman.
RIP, and Thank You for your service,
I worked on Sam’s first campaign in Plano, Texas. I remember Sam telling me that he would never eat another bowl of rice ever. I also remember seeing his twisted fingers from the torture he endured in the Hanoi Hilton. His back was injured when he crashed & he got little to no treatment while a POW. Sam was shot down while he was covering for one of the planes that was with him that had also took fire.
Sam was a patriot unlike 95% of those in Congress. He will certainly be missed.
Loss of a Patriot
Dang, never a good time to lose a true American hero, but especially bad now with all the virus b.s. & feral rioting going on. Sucks the oxygen out of the news cycle and diminishes Col. Johnson’s tremendous legacy, if only a bit. Rest in peace, Sam.
Slow hand salute to an old warrior. RIP, Colonel. GBU,You earned it.
RIP, hero.
Good post!!
I wonder if we could contact President Trump and suggest he give Col. Johnson a posthumous promotion to Brigadier General ? I hope he will be buried at Arlington.
A warrior angel with wings of silk has flown home. Rest in peace brave warrior in the house of our lord.
RIP
Col Sam Johnson, USAF
Viet Nam pilot
Lord, guard and guide the men who fly
Through the great spaces of the sky;
Be with them traversing the air
In darkening storms or sunshine fair
Thou who dost keep with tender might
The balanced birds in all their flight
Thou of the tempered winds be near
That, having thee, they know no fear
Control their minds with instinct fit
What time, adventuring, they quit
The firm security of land;
Grant steadfast eye and skilful hand
Aloft in solitudes of space,
Uphold them with Thy saving grace.
O God, protect the men who fly
Thru lonely ways beneath the sky.
Incredible man that was my Congressman until I moved out of his district. Had the honor to meet with him on several occasions. Spoke to our mens group at our church in the early 90s. Kind, decent, honorable man who loved our country. Rest In Peace my friend!!
He went through all the horrors of being a Vietnam POW that McCain did and never got even 1/10 of the media accolades that McCain received after McCain exploited those experienced to his political advatage.
There is going to be a fantastic reunion in heaven with Johnson joining some of my late friends/acquaintances, once of the Hanoi Hilton - Bud Day, Jerry Denton, John Cavaiani, and Don Rander, plus Nick Rowe (a POW in VC hands in the Delta, SVN,later assassinated in Manila, Philippines by a Maoist hit squad).
This men, ARE, NOT WERE, and will be ALWAYS, among America’s best and bravest.
It was an honor to have known them.
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