George Leonard Johnny Johnson was a bomb-aimer in the 617 squadron which destroyed vital dams in Germanys industrial Ruhr valley during the second world war.
His family said Johnson died peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday, according to BBC News.
After his 100th birthday last year, Johnson told the BBC: Ive had a very lucky life in every respect. Speaking of the famous Dambuster raids, he added: It was an exhilarating experience [I felt] honoured to have had the chance to take part.
The bouncing bomb raids caused catastrophic flooding in the Ruhr valley, destroying hydroelectric power stations and factories. About 1,300 people on the ground are thought to have been killed according to the Imperial War Museum.
peter67 said
09:41 AM Dec 9, 2022
I'm a keen student of aviation history particularly WW1 and WW2 era. Many books have been written about 617 dam busters exploits. Pierre Clostermanns book titled "The Big Show" is one of the best fighter pilots stories of WW2, well worth a read.
86GTS said
09:45 AM Dec 9, 2022
My Auntie Hildegard (by marraige) was a girl at the time, she remembers the destruction.
Magnarc said
01:03 PM Dec 9, 2022
Barnes Wallis's concept was a brilliant innovation. The raid was flown from Scampton airfield, 6 miles from Lincoln where my family lived at that time. Up until recently it was the home of the Red Arrows aerobatic team. Gibsons squadron took heavy losses to complete the job.
Very brave men who did what they had to do, and did it successfully.
RIP Johnny Johnson.
Thankyou Possum for this post.
-- Edited by Magnarc on Friday 9th of December 2022 01:04:37 PM
George Leonard Johnny Johnson was a bomb-aimer in the 617 squadron which destroyed vital dams in Germanys industrial Ruhr valley during the second world war.
His family said Johnson died peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday, according to BBC News.
Les Munro, the last surviving Dambuster pilot, died at the age of 96 in 2015. His death left only Canadian front-gunner Fred Sutherland and Johnson. Sutherland died in 2019 at the age of 95.
After his 100th birthday last year, Johnson told the BBC: Ive had a very lucky life in every respect. Speaking of the famous Dambuster raids, he added: It was an exhilarating experience [I felt] honoured to have had the chance to take part.
The bouncing bomb raids caused catastrophic flooding in the Ruhr valley, destroying hydroelectric power stations and factories. About 1,300 people on the ground are thought to have been killed according to the Imperial War Museum.
Barnes Wallis's concept was a brilliant innovation. The raid was flown from Scampton airfield, 6 miles from Lincoln where my family lived at that time. Up until recently it was the home of the Red Arrows aerobatic team. Gibsons squadron took heavy losses to complete the job.
Very brave men who did what they had to do, and did it successfully.
RIP Johnny Johnson.
Thankyou Possum for this post.
-- Edited by Magnarc on Friday 9th of December 2022 01:04:37 PM