This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Sgt Mae Moss (MayDay)
to remember
Johns, Paul Frederick, Col.
If you knew or served with this Airman and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
POSTED BY: JOSEPH E. SMITH, MAJOR, USAF (RET), I REMEMBER PAUL. Paul and I flew several combat missions over Laos in O1-E, "Birddog" aircraft, operating from dirt airstrips, in the Bolovens Plateau area of Laos. Paul was the pilot and I was the observer and intel advisor, spotting targets along the trail areas in Laos. On one occasion, Paul felt that there had to be VC in one area but all appeared quiet. He said, "let's go lower to take a close look." With that, he throttled back, and we went down to about 100 feet off the deck, looking into the trees to the left and right, and sure enough, there they were and the firing began! Having drawn the VC out a bit, Paul applied power and we radioed for strike aircraft that had been lingering above. That was Paul: brave, tenacious and innovative. We shared more than a few "interesting" missions until he rotated back to the US. A little later, I heard that he had volunteered for another tour of duty, this time in A1-E's, and shortly afterward, I found out that he had gone down on a mission. He was a great friend; he was a terrific guy. I remember him and I miss him.
This Veteran has an (IMO) In Memory Of Headstone in Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial, Hawaii, as well as one in New Albany National Cemetery, New Albany, Floyd County, Indiana and the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Kentucky.
Other Comments:
Sources:
http://www.skyraider.org/skyassn/spadgrup/wingrps.htm (unit photo at Skyraider school)
Aircraft/Missile Information
Model Douglas AD-1 Skyraider Length 39.37 ft | 12.00 m Width 50.00 ft | 15.24 m Height 15.75 ft | 4.80 m Engine(s) 1 x Wright R-3350-24W air-cooled radial engine generating 2,500hp. Empty Weight 10,470 lbs | 4,749 kg MTOW 18,029 lbs | 8,178 kg Max Speed 321 mph | 517 km/h | 279 kts Max Range 1,553 miles | 2,500 km Ceiling 26,001 ft | 7,925 m | 4.9 miles Climb Rate 2,300 ft/min (701.4 m/min) Hardpoints 14 Armament 4 x 20mm Cannons 12 x Rockets
7,000 pounds of external ordnance including bombs and gun pods. Accommodations 1
* AD-5 - Anti-Submarine Model of which 212 produced; two crew-seating in side-by-side configuration; widened fuselage. * AD-6 - Improved AD-4B versions; improved low-level bombing capability; 713 produced. * AD-7 - AD-6 version fitted with R-3350-26WB and reinforced substructure of which 73 were produced in total in this way. * A-1E - AD-5 Redesignated from 1962 standard onwards. * A-1H - AD-6 Redesignated from 1962 standard onwards. * A-1J - AD-7 Redesignated from 1962 standard onwards.
