US Navy. Born 1824 in Norway. Civil War: Enlisted from New York. Seaman. Awarded the Medal of Honor. As seaman on board the U.S.S. Metacomet, Johnson served as a member of the boat’s crew which went to the rescue of the U.S. Monitor Tecumseh when that vessel was struck by a torpedo in passing the enemy forts in Mobile Bay on 5 Aug 1864. He braved the enemy fire which was said by the admiral to be “one of the most galling” he had ever seen. Johnson aided in rescuing from death ten of the crew of the Tecumseh, eliciting admiration of friend and foe. Sources: (“America’s Medal of Honor Recipients”, publ. 1977, pp 131, 1015)
