Danny Michael Johnson

Lt.C Danny Michael Johnson

October 24,1946 – Sept 7, 2021

                Danny Johnson is survived by his wife, Beverly Johnson; his daughters, Heather Barrie of Avon, CO, and Rachel Bair of Charleston, SC; two grandchildren; a brother, Patrick Johnson of Florida; and a sister, Kim Tibbals of Petaluma, CA. He is preceded in death by his parents, Floyd Franklin Johnson, Jr., and Patricia Morehouse Tibbals.

                Danny was a gentle man who always wore a smile.  He loved engaging with people.  It didn’t matter if he knew them or not.  He had a wonderful sense of humor and could make anyone laugh when he told a story.  He was a pleasure to be around.  

                Danny lived and breathed Army. He didn’t join the Army; the Army joined him. It is no surprise that without finishing high school, Danny enlisted in the Army, serving in Korea as an aircraft mechanic. After returning to the U.S., he became a paratrooper In Special Forces. He served twenty years in the Regular Army, Army Reserve, National Guard, and CA State Military Reserve.  In his spare time, he would   write articles about anything military.  In particular, he enjoyed writing about abandoned military posts, publishing numerous articles in On Point and Soldier magazines. He also published three books on Army history that are currently housed in the Library of Congress.  It is fitting that he will be interred at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, CA. 

                Danny went to City College of San Francisco earning an AA degree and to the University of California, Berkeley, earning a BS degree in Criminology. Subsequently, he earned an MS degree in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University. 

                Danny eventually settled in Virginia and worked for many different government agencies in Washington, DC.  While in Virginia, he developed Multiple Sclerosis.  That didn’t stop him.  He took a less stressful post at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, as a military historian.  Later he took a post in Germany where he worked for ten years.  He eventually retired, and upon his return to the U.S., he settled in Angels Camp, CA, where his grandparents had lived many years ago.  After a few years, he moved to Sacramento, where he volunteered at the California State Military Museum.  In his spare time, Danny collected stamps, coins, and military patches.  He also volunteered as a docent at the Gold Bug Park and Mine in Placerville, CA, where he gave tours to school children.

                Danny was loved by all who knew him.