Lt. U.V. Johnston - Hq Sqdn, Marine Air Group 42

[Leendert]

Looking for the first name of Lt. U.V. Johnston, USMC, who on 28 March 1945 chased and shot down a Japanese balloon just across the border with Mexico. This in an F4U of Hedron, 42 MAG (MCAS El Centro). His function was Assistant Group Operations Officer.
(See findagrave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...7/u-v-johnston)

From a Brazos County (TX) veterans magazine: JOHNSTON, U. V.
1st Lt. U. V. Johnston, 2531 Carpenter St., Dallas, Texas.
Major in Aero. Eng. Activties, Board of Representatives of
Veterans Club and member of Student Council. Entered Marines in 1942. Trained in Dallas, Texas. Served in Solomons.
Awarded APO Ribbon, Pres. Citation, ATO Ribbon and Victory Medal. Discharged in 1945 •


Must be a coincidence that the (I think) only USN aviator to shoot down a Japanese balloon was also called Johnston, but here Floyd A....
This in a FM-2 of VC-65 from NAAS North Bend, Oregon, and incident was on 22 Feb. 1945.

Info welcome.

Regards,
Leendert

[R Leonard]

I don't think the U stands for anything as it usually appears in reports with quotation marks. Middle name was Vesta. Thus one sees "U" Vesta Johnston 022528.

[RSwank]

His Texas birth and death certificates list his name as:

U. Vesta Johnston

The death certificate even writes his name as:

U.(Initial Only) Vesta Johnston

Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...7/u-v-johnston

[Leendert]

Thanks for clarification. In a USMC Reserve Officer list of 1957 he is mentioned as U. Vesta Johnston indeed, with rank of Major.

Regards,
Leendert