MH: Colonel Gabreski was quite lucky to get through the war in Korea. You also were in Korea, weren’t you?

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Johnson: Yes, that’s right. I visited Korea in December 1951. I was in uniform half the time, and at other times in civilian clothes representing Republic Aviation. As a lieutenant colonel I was an observer at Panmunjom. That battle is still going on, and it may never end. We must be very cognizant of their nuclear capability.

MH: Since retirement, you’ve spent a lot of time on the lecture circuit.

Johnson: Yes, I’m still doing that–going around to schools talking about World War II, what happened and why. Generally I get my expenses paid, but I never ask for money. Unfortunately, they keep me pretty busy.

MH: Reflecting on how times have changed since your youth, what is your opinion on the future of the youth of America?

Johnson: Good question. Well, today we don’t have the standard family, the mother taking care of the kids at home; so the young ones have little or no guidance. They take their lead from other little kids, and that’s not good. We all admit it–and I think it’s true–that the mother had a lot to do with the taming of mankind.

MH: If you had any advice for today’s youth, what would it be?

Johnson: I would tell them to look forward to where they want to go, what they want to be, and work toward that. What can they do to improve the world? First, as they go through school, find their favorite subjects and push that to the limit. Drive to be the best! They have to realize that they are going to be on their own one of these days, and, in fact, they are going to have people depending on them. If they are nothing but bums, who can they help and what can they do? You have to fight hard for what you want.

MH: What would you say contributed to your success and longevity?

Johnson: I guess you could say I’m a fatalist, a strong believer that when your time is up you’re gone, out of here. Why worry about that?

Robert S. Johnson died December 27, 1998.

This article was written by Colin D. Heatoand originally published in the August 1996 issue of Military History magazine. For more great articles be sure to subscribe to Military History magazine today!

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