In Memory of Harold Johnson, NAHF Trustee
The National Aviation Hall of Fame mourns the loss of longtime friend, trustee and aviation legend Harold Johnson, who passed away at age 85 on January 12, 2011.
Harold was not only an advocate for preserving our nation’s aviation heritage, he was a leading participant, from restoring cherished Waco aircraft to flying condition – often starting from a basket of parts – to his tutelage of the many pilots and air show performers who now continue his legacy, many of them based from the very field he co-founded in 1952, Moraine Air Park.
His 22,000+ hours logged as pilot included aerial performances that wowed thousands of spectators, but Harold also played an active role in establishment and support of aviation causes that impacted thousands more, such as the EAA and its Young Eagles program, Aviation Trail, Inc., and the NAHF, on whose board Harold served in various capacities from 1967 until the time of his passing.
Harold was an exemplar of the power of positive thinking, hard work, service to his fellow man, and of the credo “Live to fly and fly to live.” One does not do so, as Harold skillfully did in his over six decades of flying, without significantly touching many lives. He certainly touched many at the NAHF, where Harold was instrumental in the establishment of our interactive Learning Center, the growth of the annual enshrinement weekend, and other programs.
He will be greatly missed, and the Hall of Fame family extends our sincere condolences to the Johnson Family. Godspeed and blue skies, Harold Johnson.
