THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 1, 1996 TAG: 9602010302
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JACK DORSEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
Vice Adm. Jay L. Johnson, commander of the Norfolk-based 2nd Fleet for 18 months, was nominated by President Clinton Wednesday to take the Navy's No. 2 spot.
Johnson, 48, is to become vice chief of naval operations.
If confirmed by the Senate, he will be among the youngest four-star admirals and will replace Adm. Joseph W. Prueher, confirmed by the Senate Tuesday to head the U.S. Pacific Command.
Clinton, at the recommendation of Defense Secretary William J. Perry, also recommended the promotions of two other Norfolk-based admirals:
Rear Adm. Vernon E. Clark, deputy and chief of staff of the Atlantic Fleet, to be promoted to the three-star rank of vice admiral and assigned to Johnson's 2nd Fleet post. He is a former fast frigate and destroyer commander who also commanded the carrier Carl Vinson battle group.
Rear Adm. Richard W. Mies, commander of Submarine Group Eight, to be promoted to vice admiral and assigned as commander of the Atlantic Fleet Submarine Force. He is to replace Vice Adm. George W. Emery, who plans to retire this summer.
Johnson's promotion comes early in his 27-year career.
An aviator who flew F-14 Tomcat fighters, his selection is in keeping with the Navy's tradition of naming a flier to the No. 2 position when the chief of naval operations is orientated toward a surface ship or submarine career. That is the case of the Navy's No. 1 officer, Adm. Mike Boorda.
Johnson took command of the 2nd Fleet from Adm. William J. Flanagan in July of that year, just as the operation to restore democracy in Haiti kicked off. The two officers barely had time get to their new posts before that campaign began. Flanagan is now Atlantic Fleet commander. Johnson graduated from the Naval Academy in 1968. He flew F-8J Crusaders during two combat tours in Vietnam. He switched to flying F-14s and eventually commanded the Jolly Rogers of Fighter Squadron 84 at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach.
Ashore, he was head of the junior officer assignment branch for aviators in the Bureau of Naval Personnel. He returned to sea to command Air Wing One in 1985 aboard the carrier America and then was assistant chief of staff for operations with the 6th Fleet until June 1987.
In February 1988 he again commanded Air Wing One as a senior air wing commander. Following tours at the Naval War College and Bureau of Naval Personnel as assistant chief, he commanded carrier Group Eight aboard the carrier Theodore Roosevelt. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Vice Adm. Jay L. Johnson, left, was nominated to be vice chief of
naval operations. Rear Adm. Vernon E. Clark, center, was nominated
for promotion to the three-star rank of vice admiral. Rear Adm.
Richard W. Mies was nominated for promotion to vice admiral.
KEYWORDS: APPOINTMENT U.S. NAVY by CNB