Special Webpage for WWII B-26 Pilot Frank Johnson

July 30, 2012

(FRANK JOHNSON'S 89th Birthday)
Please Send birthday greetings to:

After WWII, Frank and Ray Belanger both worked at Republic Steel, and on January 8, 1948 Frank joined the CAA, when Ray told him about the CAA and the controller's starting salary of $3,025.00 a year. Big money compared to our $75.00 a week at Republic Steel.

At that time the original Chicago Center was located in American Airlines hangar at 63rd street in Chicago (about 2 1/2 blocks west of Cicero Ave.) Located on the 2nd floor in a small room (about 25 sq. ft.) along with a weather man in the corner.

(1948) - Chicago Center Employee Directory

Chief: (Don't remember original); Pappy Taylor
Deputy Chief: Jack Fielding

Supervisors: Bernard MacGarity, Clarence Starr, Gernard Kilier, Bob Mller, Earl Wagner, Betty Murphy, Manny O'Conner

Controllers: Don Davis, Ray Belanger, Ed Hareim, Harold Helstrom, Bob Young, Geroge Mirseh, Duwayne Leslie, Bob Bernoff, Jack Wheelright, Carl Beliegsile, Jim Huggems, Red Stevenson, Lou Helbock

Assistant Controllers: Frank Johnson, Bob Orton, Ernie Grob, Tony Witzkowski, Jerry Parker, Bill Wilcox, John Ryan, Cass Talz, John Marberky, Emmet O'Hara

?____?, Earl Kuen, Carl Breilsel

("Notice how big the flight strips are, compared with what we had in Aurora")

During WWII, Frank was a pilot of the premier medium-range twin-engine bomber of WWII, the B-26 Marauder. A total of 5,288 B-26s were produced between 1941 and 1945. The B-26 had the lowest loss rate of any USAAF bombers in the war

The B-26 had a maximum speed of 350 mph and a range of 3,000 miles, and a bomb load of 2,000 lb. A streamlined, circular section fuselage housing the crew, consisted of a bombardier in the nose with a machine gun, a pilot (Frank Johnson), co-pilot and a radio operator and navigator. A gunner manned a dorsal turret with two machine guns, and an additional machine gun was fitted in the tail.

WORLD WAR II Mission - 1945

Frank Johnson is the Pilot in the left seat,
and between him and his Co-Pilot is his
engineer.

Notice his Bombardier is smoking in the
nose of the B-26.

(This photo was taken by a gunner in the
tail gun position in number 3 position of
the mission.)

Frank said he never saw this photo until 67
years after it was taken. Frank's son got a
higher-definition picture of the plane, had it
framed and gave it to Frank at Christmas.

Frank and Doris Johnson always enjoyed our Annual Florida February Reunions, and because of health issues weren't able to attend the last few years.

"Happy 89th Birthday Frank"

We miss all the good times we had working
with you at Chicago Center and also at our
Annual Florida Reunions...