Alfred Wilkinson Johnson

Alfred Wilkinson Johnson
Alfred Wilkinson Johnson as Vice Admiral
Born	(1876-11-18)November 18, 1876 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	December 5, 1963(1963-12-05) (aged 87) Washington, D.C.
Place of burial	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1895–1945
Rank	Vice Admiral
Commands held	Conyngham (DD-58) Kimberly (DD-80) Richmond (CL-9) Director of Naval Intelligence Colorado (BB-45) Bureau of Navigation Fleet Patrol Plane Squadrons Atlantic Squadron
Battles/wars	Spanish–American War Philippine–American War World War I World War II
Awards	Navy Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Order of St. Michael and St. George (Great Britain) Order of the Bath, Companion (Great Britain) Medal of Merit, 1930 (Nicaragua) Order of the Liberator, Grand Official (Venezuela) Order of the Aztec Eagle, Mexico
Other work	Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Nicaragua, Inter-American Defense Board, U.S. Mexican Defense Commission, Permanent Board on Defense-Canada-U.S.

Alfred Wilkinson Johnson was a career officer of the United States Navy who served in the Spanish–American War and World War I, commanded several ships, and served as Director of Naval Intelligence, reaching the rank of Vice Admiral. He retired in December 1940.

Recalled to duty during World War II he served on several boards, finally retiring in August 1945. He died in 1963.

Johnson was born in Philadelphia on November 18, 1876, son of Philip Carrigan Johnson Jr and his wife Elvira Lindsay. His father was a career US Naval officer, who reached the rank of Commodore, or Rear Admiral. Alfred was a nephew of American painter Eastman Johnson, who was a co-founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. Alfred grew up with his family on his father's assignments in California, Maine, and in the District of Columbia, where he attended public schools.

He followed his father into the Navy, being appointed Naval Cadet (at large) by President Grover Cleveland, and entered the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, in 1895.

During the Spanish–American War, as a member of the First Class, he served on Massachusetts (BB-2) of the North Atlantic Squadron under the command of Rear Admiral W.T. Sampson, USN and later on Detroit (C-10). He returned to Annapolis in September 1898, and was graduated in January 1899. Johnson served two years at sea, as then required by law before commissioning, and was commissioned Ensign in 1901.