Wilbur Everett Johnson

Upon graduation from the Naval ROTC Program at UCLA in January of 1953, Wilbur Johnson took his commission in the Marine Corps instead of the Navy. Having been on two cruises as a Midshipman as part of his training, including one aboard a light cruiser, the USS Springfield, and the second aboard a battleship, the USS Missouri, Lt. Johnson decided he preferred to serve upon the land than upon a ship at sea. After his officer training in Virginia, and then a few months at Camp Pendleton, Lt Johnson was on his way to Korea, where he arrived in September of 1953, about two months after the cessation of hostilities. His first assignment was as a Platoon Leader in a 4.2” mortar company, after which he served as a Platoon Leader in a rifle company. Both the mortar company and the rifle company were parts of the 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, whose mission was to “man the line” as a part of the peacekeeping force along the 38th parallel separating North and South Korea. Towards the end of his 13 months tour in Korea, Lt. Johnson was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and was the X.O. (Executive Officer), of his rifle company. Then, in December of 1954, he was aboard a Navy transport vessel on his way home. The ship arrived and docked in San Francisco Bay on December 24th, Christmas Eve, 1954. Serving then as a Reserve Officer, Lt. Johnson resigned his commission and left the Marine Corps, in 1955. In 1955, Wil married the girl he had met while on vacation in Yosemite Valley back in 1948. After living a few years in San Jose, CA., and then a few years in Las Vegas, NV., Wil and Carol bundled their ten children into two cars and moved to San Diego, settling here in La Jolla, where it’s been their home since 1973.

MEDALS-RIBBONS: National Defense
Service, Korean Service, United
Nations Service
Wilbur successfully led troops in
multiple missions while in Korea. For
this, he received an Honorable
Discharge.