Scope and Contents

Less than a quarter of a linear foot of documents about Ray 'Padre' Johnson. The documents cover both his service in Vietnam and his career as an artist. The collection also contains a DVD-ROM with a recording of an interview with Johnson on the History Czar radio program.

Biographical / Historical

During the Vietnam War in 1966, Ray Johnson entered the United States Navy Chaplain Corps, serving as both a Hospital and Prison Chaplain. In 1967 and 1968, Ray Johnson served with the Special Forces “Black Berets River Raiders”, River Assault Force One and was stationed in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. He was wounded multiple times while leading rescue missions and became one of the most decorated Chaplains in American History, earning two Purple Hearts, two Silver Stars, the Bronze Star, and the Presidential Unit Citation.