Highest Decorated Navy Chaplain to Speak at Vietnam Remembrance Day Event

The highest decorated Navy chaplain from the Vietnam War will speak at the Veterans Memorial Museum in Chehalis on Saturday as the venue holds its Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Day event.

Ray Johnson, known as “Doc” or “Padre” to those who served with him, is credited with saving countless lives on the battlefield. 

“Our guest speaker is a remarkable man who was recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Americans,” Chip Duncan, director of the museum, said in an email. 

The title has been given to individuals such as John F. Kennedy and Henry Kissinger.

Johnson went to medical school, was commissioned as a lieutenant and later went to seminary, where he was appointed as a Navy chaplain, according to Duncan.

Although he was sent to Vietnam as a chaplain, his expertise in the medical field made him a suitable corpsman who could use his skills to save lives.

“In his most heroic acts he was serving with the River Rats and came to the aid of a pinned down Army unit,” Duncan said. “The withering fire was so intense and the enemy held a clear advantage. Doc went many times to pull out wounded men from the killing zone.”

Johnson was hit in the leg and chest but continued to rescue the wounded men until he was no longer physically able to do so, Duncan said.

He was nominated for the Navy Cross, but received a silver star instead. He also has two bronze stars. 

“One of our local veterans is alive today because ‘Doc’ Johnson saved his life in Vietnam,” Duncan said. “Ray still keeps in touch with many of the men he saved in Vietnam.” 

After Vietnam, he returned to the states and served as a pastor, later creating drug prevention programs for youth. 

Johnson was discovered by a local gallery in Wyoming for his artwork, which eventually led to a project through the United Nations where he traveled the world and recorded groups of people through his artwork, according to Duncan. His project was displayed at the United Nations in the mid-1980s. 

The Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Day event will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the museum, 100 SW Veterans Way, Chehalis. The event aims to recognize and remember all those who served during the Vietnam conflict.