James Allen Johnson

{{short description|United States Army general}}

{{Infobox military person

|image=MG James A Johnson.jpg

|name=James A. Johnson

|birth_date=June 2, 1924

|death_date={{death date and age|2016|7|20|1924|6|2}}

|caption=

|nickname=

|birth_place=Stoughton, Wisconsin, U.S.

|death_place=Fairfax County, Virginia, U.S.

|placeofburial=West Point Cemetery

|allegiance=United States

|branch=United States Army

|serviceyears=1943–1944, 1947–1980

|rank=Major General

|commands=U.S. Army Engineer School
U.S. Army Engineer Command, Vietnam

|battles=World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War

|awards=

|laterwork=

}}

James Allen Johnson (June 2, 1924 – July 20, 2016) was a major general in the United States Army who served as Commandant of the U.S. Army Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, and as Deputy Chief of Engineers.{{cite book|title=Shore & Beach|issue=v. 35-38|publisher=American Shore and Beach Preservation Association|issn=0037-4237|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dOUgAQAAIAAJ|access-date=2015-05-24}}Obituary, [http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/washingtonpost/obituary.aspx?pid=180848418 James A. Johnson, Major General, US Army (Ret.)]. The Washington Post (July 31-Aug 2, 2016). He was awarded two Distinguished Service Medals, the Silver Star, two Legion of Merit decorations, two Bronze Star Medals, two Purple Hearts, the Air Medal, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, and the Parachute Badge.[http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=106695 James Allen Johnson Awards and Citations] Military Times Hall of Valor. Militarytimes.com.{{cite news |title=James Allen Johnson |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/62721947/obituary-for-james-allen-johnson-aged/ |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=July 31, 2016 |location=Boston, MA |page=B7 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=November 7, 2020}} {{Open access}}{{cite web |url=https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/springfield-va/james-johnson-7017485 |title=James Allen Johnson |publisher=Demaine Funeral Home |access-date=August 29, 2022}}

Born in Stoughton, Wisconsin to Norwegian immigrant parents, Johnson graduated from Stoughton High School in 1942. After studying at the University of Wisconsin for one semester, he was drafted into the Army on March 12, 1943, during World War II. Johnson was appointed to the United States Military Academy and graduated with a B.S. degree after three years of study on June 3, 1947. After serving as a combat engineer in Korea, he earned an M.S. degree in industrial engineering from Stanford University in 1957. Johnson later graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College in 1961 and, after a tour of duty in Vietnam, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1966. His second tour of duty in Vietnam was as commanding general of the U.S. Army Engineer Command and Director of Construction for the Military Assistance Command.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BaSYlfAgVUEC&pg=PA289 |title=U.S. Army Register: United States Army Active and Retired List |date=January 1, 1966 |volume=I |page=289 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |access-date=August 29, 2022}}{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cNeqibq2y1EC&pg=PA578 |title=Official Register of the Officers and Cadets |chapter=Class of 1947—Register of Graduates |date=1971 |page=578 |publisher=United States Military Academy |access-date=August 29, 2022}}

Johnson retired from active duty in August 1980 and settled in Fairfax Station, Virginia. He died at Fort Belvoir and was buried in the West Point Cemetery on September 26, 2016.{{cite web |url=https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/index.html#/search-all/results/1/CgdKb2huc29uEgVKYW1lcxoFQWxsZW46CDE5MjQtXy1f/ |title=Johnson, James Allen |website=Army Cemeteries Explorer |publisher=U.S. Army |access-date=August 29, 2022}}