Green Beret, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher Johnson, answered the call to serve his country when he enlisted in US Military in 1995. He attended US Marine Corp Basic Training, transferred to the US Army where he excelled in such courses as Special Forces Qualification, Air Assault, and 101st Airborne. He served over five years with the 1st Special Forces Group out of Ft. Lewis, Washington, traveling and instructing indigenous soldiers in Thailand, The Philippines, Japan, Australia, Kuwait. After completing training at Fort Rucker and achieving the rank of Warrant Officer he was assigned to his primary aircraft, the CH-47D Chinook. His many awards and achievements include Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, 4 Army Achievement Medals, Navy Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Army War on Terrorism Medal, and more. His ribbons and badges were many to be proud of.
On August 14, 2007, the Johnson’s saw two soldiers come up their sidewalk. Chris told them that if they ever saw two soldiers come to their door, it meant that he had been killed. Their worst nightmare happened. The soldiers announced his death by helicopter crash. His Chinook which he was piloting went down In Iraq.
Officer Chris Johnson is buried in the cemetery at Rehoboth, New Mexico, as well as an honorary grave in Arlington National Cemetery. He shares that grave with his four comrades who died with him.
A blessing from this tragedy is that a preschool has been built in his honor and memory at the Mission School, Rehoboth, and many students visit his grave with their teachers and learn about this fine Christian soldier and his Honor and Courage.
Christopher Charles Johnson
