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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Dr. Frank Mitchell

Following Ray Johnson's World War II Army Air Corps service, he became a state and nationally recognized Civil Air Patrol leader while pursuing a 34-year career as manager of the Chicago office of the Illinois State Aeronautics Agency. He also served as executive director of the Illinois Wing of the CAP. In 1960, he developed the Illinois Aerospace Institute Plan that enabled hundreds of school teachers to introduce aviation in the classroom. In fact, he became a national leader on aviation teacher workshops and had research published by the University of Illinois Institute of Aviation. In 1965, Ray organized the first CAP Cadet Flight Encampment which has been continued annually and now is named in his honor. As a co-founder, chairman and executive secretary of the Illinois Aviation Education committee, Ray pioneered the development of the state aviation education advisory committee approach that was widely distributed and used by at least 25 other states over the years.

A prolific author, researcher, and editor, Ray's credits include editor of the 14-volume Aviation & Space Encyclopedia among numerous articles and papers for professional journals and trade periodicals. Ray has received a number of major aviation related awards including: the NAA Frank G. Brewer Trophy, the FAI Paul Tissandier Diploma, The Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame, the Distinguished Service Medal from the National Civil Air Patrol and recipient of the NAA Elder Statesman of Aviation Award.

After retiring in Illinois in the early 1990s, Ray stayed active in Aviation as chair of the NAA Aviation Education Committee, Organizer of the Brewer forum program discussing national needs involving the future of aviation education, serving as US delegate to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) and as president of its Education Commission, and as a board member of the Soaring Society of America. Ray retired to Prescott, Arizona and continues (in 2003) to work at the local level as chair of the Prescott Airport Advisory Committee, the Arizona State Aviation Education Committee and as a member of the Board of Visitors of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.