Paul Gilbert Johnson

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VIGOROUS ROLE FOR CANADIANS IN AIR WEEK

By GEORGE KITCHEN, Ottawa, May 12, 1944 - (CP) - Canadian fighters and heavy bombers had a big part in the Allied pre-invasion aerial blows at Europe during the last week, the R.C.A.F. reported today in its weekly summary.
R.C.A.F. heavy bombers smashed at important targets in France and Belgium four nights, making up a large part of the Allied force on three of those raids. Every night Canadian Halifaxes carried out mining operations in enemy waters.
On the fighter front, Canadian Spitfires escorted Mitchells and Bostons of the 2nd Tactical Air Force which attacked railway yards at Cambrai last Friday, while other Spitfires took part in supporting sweeps. The fighters destroyed four FW190's in combat during these operations and three more enemy aircraft were shot down Sunday.

FW 190's Shot Down
Two FW190's were shot down Sunday by Canadian fighters supporting United States 8th Air Force heavy bombers which attacked targets in the Berlin area and in the Munster-Osnabruck area. A third enemy fighter, an Me109, was destroyed near Laon in France while squadrons were escorting American Havocs which attacked railway yards in France.
On Monday Spitfires shot down an Me110 in the air and damaged several Ju88s on the ground during a patrol in the Cambrai area of Northern France, and then added two more enemy fighters to their score while on offensive patrols.
R.C.A.F. Typhoon bombers pounded communications inside France Sunday without opposition from flak or fighters.
The City of Edmonton Squadron was on the job again Tuesday night. They got a FWI90 and a Ju290 in the air, set fire to two enemy flying boats, a Blohm & Voss and a Do18 at their moorings and damaged other Do18s.

All-Canadian Attack
An all-Canadian attack was made on railway yards in Ghent, Belgium, early Thursday. Flak gave little trouble, but several aircraft were molested by night fighters. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Canadian heavies pounded military targets in France and Belgium.
F/L Russell Orr of 206 Livingstone Ave., Toronto, Spitfire pilot, got credit for destroying two FW190's in five seconds during a sweep over France. F/L J. D. Lindsey of Arnprior, Ont., got his first kill when he shot down an Me109 near Laon, France, and also damaged a FW190. Another damaged was credited to F/L J. Hodgson of Calgary.

Shoots Down Messerschmitt
F/O Paul G. Johnson of Bethel, Conn., of the R.C.A.F. Red Indian Squadron, accounted for a Messerschmitt and damaged one Ju88. F/L Hank Zary of New York, a fellow-American in the R.C.A.F. and F/L Frank Clarke of Montreal damaged two others. F/O R. W. Murray of Ottawa shot up a flak tower over the Cambrai area, in France.
F/L Johnnie Caine, D.F.C., of Edmonton, with P/O Earl Boal as his navigator, attacked two enemy flying boats mooring at Ribnitz. They saw both aircraft burst into flames and explode.
F/O D. E. Roberts, Saskatoon, another City of Edmonton pilot, and his navigator, F/O A. D. McLaren, Toronto, got their first kill by destroying a FW190 in the shadow of the Alps and F/O Herbert Jones of Salmon Arm, B.C., Pilot, and F/L A. Eckert, Seaforth, Ont., navigator, destroyed a Ju290 in the air.

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CANUCK FIGHTER PILOTS HOT, HAVE BEST INVASION RECORD
Much of Their Success Attributed to Foremost Allied Ace in Europe

London, July 3, 1944 —(CP Cable)— Canadian fighter pilots are the hottest things in the air of France these invasion days with a score of 58 "kills" chalked up since June 28, and airmen today attributed much of their current success to a modest, 28-year-old Englishman, Wing-Cmdr. James E. (Johnny) Johnson, leading Allied ace in the European theatre.

Nearly 100 Per Cent
Of 21 enemy planes shot down over France Sunday — at a cost of three Allied aircraft — R.C.A.F. Spitfire pilots accounted for 19. They shot down 26 Germans June 28 and on Friday got 13 of the 17 enemy aircraft destroyed. It was on the Friday operations that Johnson, leader of a Canadian wing, got his 33rd enemy aircraft to top the long-standing record of 32 held by Group Capt. A.G. (Sailor) Malan who is not now on active operations.
F/L J. D. Lindsay, of Arnprior, Ont., led the R.C.A.F scoring yesterday, destroying three planes in one sortie when his squadron took on 20 enemy aircraft east of Caen. Other leaders, each with two "kills," were F/L Paul Johnson, of Bethel, Conn.; F/O R. J. Lake, Langstaff, Ont., and F/L J. Moore, Philadelphia. Paul Johnson and Moore also shared one "kill."
To W/C Johnson, back on active operations at his own request after a spell of ground duty is freely given much of the credit for the Canadians' fine showing since R.C.A.F. fighter airstrips were moved to Normandy. For Johnson, holder of the D.S.O. and Bar and D.F.C. and Bar, is known as a maker of aerial aces as well as being a top ace himself.
A civil engineer in Nottingham before the war, Johnson a year ago turned the Canadian Spitfire wing he then commanded into one of the “hottest” in Britain. Taken off active flying to aid in the planning of the invasion's aerial coverage, he recently returned to active operations and again was given a Canadian fighter wing to lead against the best the Germans could offer in the air.
Johnson's 31st and 32nd aerial victories were scored last Wednesday to equal the mark set by Malan when he was the leading R.A.F. pilot in the Battle of Britain and to top the 31 set by F/L George Beurling of Verdun, Que., leading Canadian ace now in Canada. Johnson's record breaking came when he caught a German heading for the safety of the clouds, nailed him and followed him down until the foe crashed.
Of him, a pilot who flew with him wrote in the Sunday Express:

Greatest of All
"In the Battle of Britain, it was Sailor Malan. In the Battle of Malta it was Screwball Beurling. Now, in the Battle of Normandy, it's Johnny Johnson. Comparisons are always difficult, but there will be many among his contemporaries who will say W/C J. E. Johnson was the greatest of them all.
The unidentified writer said that when Malan was knocking down German planes into the orchards of Kent his odds were great, but targets were numerous, for in those days of 1940 the Germans were flying over Britain in masses. He said the same holds true for Beurling over the embattled island of Malta, the Italian and German planes came over in hundreds in their vain effort to bomb Malta out of the war effort.
Then came Johnson's era, the Sunday Express pilot-writer said, an era of steady patrolling over wide areas of Continental Europe after targets that become harder and harder to find as the enemy spread his air defenses thinner. "The moral is quite clear," the writer said. "Johnson has really had fewer opportunities than Malan and Beurling, although he has been more constantly in battle. But his score now is 33.71
From a Canadian airfield in France today came Johnson's reaction to his 33rd kill, the one that broke Malan's record:
"Malan has been off operations for some time and there are several other outstanding men who went off during 1941 and 1942. If they were still flying, I am sure some of them would have phenomenal scores by now.

Johnson Modest
"I have been fortunate in another way too, in that for the last three years I have been flying as a leader, first in a squadron, then in a wing. Consequently, I have always had the first crack at any Huns and had many more opportunities than the tail-end charlies.
Johnson added that luck played a big part in his success and said: “Another thing is that I have a great deal of confidence, bred mostly from the fact that I have never been shot down." He continued almost as an after thought: "In fact, I have never been hit, and I think that helps a fellow's morale tremendously."
The new Spitfires the Canadians are flying, armed with twin Cannon and four Machine-guns in the wings, are hard to beat even by what pilots call the "long-nosed Fockewulf," termed the best fighter the Germans have today. Many seasoned pilots are among the Canadian pilots flying in Normandy, some of them with "ace" ratings. It takes ten "kills" to rate ace category in the R.A.F. and R.C.A.F., though there is nothing official about being rated an "ace." (5 kills –ed)
One of the veterans of Johnson’s wing is S/L Wally McLeod of Regina, highest-scoring Canadian pilot on active operations with 19 enemy planes destroyed, three of them since D-day. Johnson has shot down five planes since the invasion opened June 6, while next in line is W/C George Keefer, 22, of Charlottetown, with four "kills" since D-day.
Among the Spitfire squadrons flying from Normandy bases are the noted City of Oshawa, Wolf and Red Indian, and a new one, the Grizzly Bear.

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ALL-CANUCK FIGHTER WINGS IN BATTLE FOR BEST SCORES
Competition So Intense Airmen Beg For Another Crack at Enemy

London, July 12, 1944 — (CP Cable) — Competition among all-Canadian fighter wings operating from Normandy in support of the Allied invasion reached such a pitch by today that pilots are plaguing operations officers to have one more show "laid on" so they can top the score of German planes downed by rival wings.

Excellent Record
A summary of the operations of one Normandy-based fighter wing during four weeks of the invasion period shows that 170 Nazi aircraft have been shot out of the skies. This summary covers the period up to Monday, since when poor weather in the bridgehead area has reduced tactical flights to a minimum.
Since D-day W/C J. E. (Johnny) Johnson, who holds the D.S.O. and two bars, the D.F.C, and bar, and the American D.F.C., has skyrocketed to new fame as Britain's leading ace with a score of 35 German aircraft downed. Johnson, native of Nottingham, England, now heads a Canadian fighter wing.

Downs 35th Victim
He downed his 35th enemy victim June 30 to top the record of 33 set up by G/C A.G. (Sailor) Malan, from South Africa, who now is on ground duty. At the same time Johnson's wing went on to win a bet made with the late W/C Lloyd V. Chadburn, of Aurora, Ont., holder of the D.S.O. and bar and the D.F.C., six weeks before D-day.
The two wing-commanders wagered that their respective wings would outscore the other during the month after the invasion was launched. After Chadburn lost his life over France in the early days of the invasion, the wager was taken over by S/L Walter Conrad, D.F.C. of Richmond, Ont., of the Red Indian Squadron.
Until Johnson's wing scored seven victories in one operation July 5, Chadburn's wing, now led by W/C R. A. Buckham, D.F.C., of Vancouver, was only two behind. The latest available accounting showed Johnson's wing is in the lead 47 to 40.

Others in Race
Meanwhile however, another Canadian-led wing under W/C George Keefer, of Charlottetown, although not included in the wager, is just as interested in finishing at the top and in the last reckoning was tied with Johnson's wing with 47 enemy planes destroyed.
Furthermore, Keefer's pilots claimed 23 enemy aircraft damaged against 11 by Johnson's wing. F/L Charlie Trainor of Charlottetown, who until June 28 was scoreless, entered the ace class by being credited with 7½ victories in the subsequent seven days. This was half a point more than Johnson achieved during the first month of the invasion.
Other Canadian airmen who have achieved notable scores during that period are: F/L Doug Lindsay, Arnprior, Ont., four; S/L H.W. (Wally) McLeod, D.F.C. and bar, Regina, four; F/L W.T. (Bill) Klersy, Toronto, four; F/L Paul Johnson, Bethel, Conn., four.

Typhoons Prominent
These scores brought Lindsay's total kills to six, McLeod's to 19, Klersy's to five and Johnson's to five also. McLeod became Canada's leading operational pilot with his score of 19.
The Normandy-based Empire fighter plane group to which these Canadian wings are attached is commanded by Air Vice-Marshal Henry Broadhurst, of the R.A.F. Total of 12,000 sorties were flown by British and Canadian members of Air Vice-Marshal Broadhurst's group during the four weeks following D-day.
An all-Canadian Typhoon wing in the sector, commanded by Wing-Cmdr. Paul Davoud, D.S.O., D.F.C., of Kingston, Ont., has achieved a high degree of precision in dive-bombing since assigned to this role in Normandy.
More than 8,000 rockets have been projected by R.A.F. Typhoons from close range at enemy targets within the battle area.

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Four Pilots Awarded D.F.C.'s; Downed 22 Enemy Airplanes

Ottawa, Aug. 7, 1944 - (CP) - Air Force headquarters announced tonight the award of Distinguished Flying Crosses to four RCAF pilots serving overseas, who, together, have destroyed a total of 22 enemy aircraft while giving air protection to the Invasion forces. One of those decorated has since been reported killed. The awards:

D.F.C.
Flt. Lt. J. D. Lindsay, Arnprior.
Fit. Lt. H. C. Trainor, Bedford,
Flt. Lt. P. G. Johnson, Bethel, Conn. (Reported killed July 18)
Fit. Lt. L. A. Moore, Philadelphia.

Lindsay was cited for shooting down three enemy fighters while participating in an engagement against a "large formation" of hostile aircraft, and Trainor for shooting down five enemy aircraft "within a very short period."
Johnson, who destroyed five hostile aircraft, three of them in one day, was cited for having proved himself a "fearless and skilful pilot" who has "displayed the greatest keenness to engage the enemy." Moore accounted for two enemy planes when he participated in an engagement against eight of them early in July. "In the fight this officer led his small formation of aircraft with great skill, setting an inspiring example," his citation said.

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JOHNSON, F/L Paul Gilbert (J20050) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.421 Sq.
Award effective 8 August 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and
AFRO 2274/44 dated 20 October 1944.

Flight Lieutenant Johnson has participated in many attacks on enemy airfields, communications and other targets on the ground and has proved himself to be a fearless and skilful pilot. He has displayed the greatest keenness to engage the enemy and has destroyed five hostile aircraft, three of them in one day.

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Claims :

5 / 0 / 3  -  All with 421 Squadron

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JOHNSON, PAUL GILBERT F/L(P) J20050 D.F.C. From Bethel, Connecticut. U.S.A. Killed In Action Jul. 18/44 age 24. #421 Red Indian Squadron (Bellicum Cecinere). F/L. Johnson was engaged in strafing enemy transport when the port wing of his Spitfire aircraft # MB 809 hit a tree. He could not bail out and attempted to return to base. He was killed when the Spitfire went out of control while flying at 7,000 feet and crashed one mile west of the landing strip north-west of Caen, France. F/L. Johnson was an ace having destroyed five enemy aircraft. Flight Lieutenant Pilot Johnson is buried in the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, Calvados, France.

From "They Shall Not Grow Old"

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American Aces