Artie Eugene Johnson

The database page for Artie Eugene Johnson

9 Jun 2002 I am John Nelson and was PFC Artie Eugene Johnson's Company Commander. He arrived in Vietnam in January 1970 and was assigned to SSG Spike Phillis' cable platoon. SSG Phillis found out PFC Johnson was the sole surviving son and was preparing to request he be considered for transfer back to the States. On the night of Feb 17/18, 1970, the 2nd Battery of the 181st ARVN Artillery Battalion misfired with their 105MM howitzers and shelled the Company Headquarters in Bien Hoa not once but twice. PFC Johnson was killed by shell fragments. Sergeant Earl Hofmann died in the same incident. John Nelson jnels44@bellsouth.net

A Note from The Virtual Wall A Company, 44th Signal Battalion, was under the operational control of the 36th Signal Battalion at the time of PFC Johnson's death and was termed as "A/44, 36th Sig Bn" for unit identification purposes. Mr. Nelson has confirmed of his personal knowledge that the Purple Heart was awarded to PFC Johnson, as was usual and appropriate in "friendly fire" woundings and deaths. While The Virtual Wall has made the necessary corrections, other sites using the DoD casualty file will continue to display incorrect data. The DoD coding is "C1/U/7", which translates as "Non-hostile; died of other causes/Other accident/Ground casualty". Based on Mr. Nelson's information - and as the Company Commander on-scene he is considered a most reliable source - the proper coding should be "A1/I/7", or "Hostile; died; Misadventure; Artillery, Rocket, or Mortar; Ground casualty".

The point-of-contact for this memorial is his Company Commander, V. John Nelson jnels44@bellsouth.net 9 Jun 2002

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Last updated 11/13/2010