 1st Lieutenant Howard W. Johnson, USMC | |
| Date of birth | September 22, 1916 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States |
| Date of death | February 19, 1945 (aged 28) |
| Place of death | Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands, Japanese Empire |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Guard |
| US college | Georgia |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1940–1941 | Green Bay Packers |
| Career stats | |
| |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |
United States |
| Service/ |
United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank |
First Lieutenant |
| Unit |
Marine Division
23rd Marines |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |
Silver Star (2) Purple Heart |
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Howard White "Smiley" Johnson (September 22, 1916 – February 19, 1945) was a professional American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He played the 1937, 1938 and 1939 college football seasons at the University of Georgia before joining the Green Bay Packers for the 1940 and 1941 seasons. [1]
He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1942 and became an officer. In addition to seeing combat with the 4th Marine Division, he played for a service football team in Maui, Hawaii. [2] He served with I Company, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines through the battles of Kwajalein, Saipan (earning a Silver Star), and Tinian. [3] On February 19, 1945, 1st Lieutenant Johnson was killed in action by a mortar shell at the Battle of Iwo Jima and awarded a second Silver Star posthumously; he was one of three former NFL players to die on Iwo Jima along with Jack Chevigny and Jack Lummus. Johnson was buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu on February 2, 1949. [2]
References
- ^ "Battlefield heroes: Smiley Johnson". Cold, Hard Football Facts. May 24, 2007. Archived from the original on January 8, 2016. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
- ^ a b Anton, Todd; Nowlin, Bill (November 15, 2013). When Football Went to War. Triumph Books. pp. 60–62. ISBN 978-1600788451.
- ^ Lawrence, Dave (March 4, 2005). "New HOF Display Honors Packers War Hero". Green Bay Packers. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
 | This biographical article relating to an American football offensive lineman born in the 1940s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1916 births
- 1945 deaths
- American football offensive guards
- Battle of Iwo Jima
- Burials in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
- Georgia Bulldogs football players
- Green Bay Packers players
- Players of American football from Nashville, Tennessee
- Recipients of the Silver Star
- Sportspeople from Murfreesboro, Tennessee
- United States Marine Corps officers
- United States Marine Corps personnel killed in World War II
- American football offensive lineman, 1940s birth stubs
|
1st Lieutenant Howard W. Johnson, USMC | |
| Date of birth | September 22, 1916 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States |
| Date of death | February 19, 1945 (aged 28) |
| Place of death | Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands, Japanese Empire |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Guard |
| US college | Georgia |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1940–1941 | Green Bay Packers |
| Career stats | |
| |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |
United States |
| Service/ |
United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank |
First Lieutenant |
| Unit |
Marine Division
23rd Marines |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |
Silver Star (2) Purple Heart |
Howard White "Smiley" Johnson (September 22, 1916 – February 19, 1945) was a professional American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He played the 1937, 1938 and 1939 college football seasons at the University of Georgia before joining the Green Bay Packers for the 1940 and 1941 seasons. [1]
He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1942 and became an officer. In addition to seeing combat with the 4th Marine Division, he played for a service football team in Maui, Hawaii. [2] He served with I Company, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines through the battles of Kwajalein, Saipan (earning a Silver Star), and Tinian. [3] On February 19, 1945, 1st Lieutenant Johnson was killed in action by a mortar shell at the Battle of Iwo Jima and awarded a second Silver Star posthumously; he was one of three former NFL players to die on Iwo Jima along with Jack Chevigny and Jack Lummus. Johnson was buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu on February 2, 1949. [2]
References
- ^ "Battlefield heroes: Smiley Johnson". Cold, Hard Football Facts. May 24, 2007. Archived from the original on January 8, 2016. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
- ^ a b Anton, Todd; Nowlin, Bill (November 15, 2013). When Football Went to War. Triumph Books. pp. 60–62. ISBN 978-1600788451.
- ^ Lawrence, Dave (March 4, 2005). "New HOF Display Honors Packers War Hero". Green Bay Packers. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
|
| This biographical article relating to an American football offensive lineman born in the 1940s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1916 births
- 1945 deaths
- American football offensive guards
- Battle of Iwo Jima
- Burials in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
- Georgia Bulldogs football players
- Green Bay Packers players
- Players of American football from Nashville, Tennessee
- Recipients of the Silver Star
- Sportspeople from Murfreesboro, Tennessee
- United States Marine Corps officers
- United States Marine Corps personnel killed in World War II
- American football offensive lineman, 1940s birth stubs