Gregory H. Johnson, a major in the United States Air Force, entered the Fairborn City Schools as an eighth grader in 1975 and graduated from Fairborn Park Hills High School in 1980. Johnson was born in 1962 in South Ruislip, Middlesex, England, where his family was stationed. Johnson has followed his father into the United States Air Force and has had a Maj. Gregory H. Johnson distinguished career to date and is currently an astronaut candidate.

While in high school this superb scholar, musician and athlete was a state winner in the Ohio Mathematics League competition, a delegate to Buckeye Boys' State and a member of the National Honor Society. He graduated first in a class of 328 with a grade point average of 4.0, serving as class valedictorian. Johnson was field commander of the marching band and was a member of the choir, vocal ensemble and stage band. He lettered in wrestling, was a Chess Club member, homecoming king and earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

Upon graduation from high school, Johnson received an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy. He was active as a keyboardist in a student rock band, bugle soloist in the cadet drum and bugle corps and an intramural wrestler. He was selected as a national finalist by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in its student paper competition. He graduated 19th in his class of 1,000 in 1984 with a degree in aeronautical engineering. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for graduate study at Columbia University and earned a master of science degree in flight structures engineering in 1985.

During 1985-86 Johnson completed his flight training at Reese Air Force Base in Texas and in 1987 was assigned to Reese for three years as an instructor pilot for T-38s. He was selected for F-15E (Strike Eagle) training in 1989 at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. His combat readiness training was completed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina in December 1990 where he served as chief, Life Support Division and line pilot for the 4th Air Combat Wing.

Johnson was deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1990 with the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing, 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron and was stationed at Al Kharj Air Base, Saudi Arabia. During Operation Desert Storm, Johnson flew 34 combat missions against SCUD missile launchers and battle tanks. On the second day of the war Johnson made a fourth pass at an Iraqi missile launcher, without backup cover, and destroyed the target. As a result of this heroic determination and success, Johnson was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Following the war, Johnson continued to be active in the Gulf region flying 27 patrol missions in the "no-fly zone" in support of Operation Southern Watch. During Johnson's second tour in the Gulf region in 1993 he received news of his selection to attend the United States Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Upon graduation in 1994, he became a project test pilot, F-15 C/E and T-38 instructor/evaluator, program manager, and assistant operations officer.

In August 1997 he entered the Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, and graduated in June 1998. Prior to his graduation he learned of his selection for astronaut training.

In the summer of 1998, Johnson was one of only two United States Air Force pilots selected for astronaut training in Houston, Texas. The selection process covered a two-year period involving an initial group of 2,634 candidates of which 300 were from the Air Force. This group was narrowed to a field of 120 for week-long interviews at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, in the fall of 1997. Twenty-four candidates were selected on June 3, 1998, of which eight were pilots and sixteen were mission specialists. Johnson has served as an adjunct professor in aeronautics at Emery-Riddle Aeronautical University in Goldsboro, North Carolina.

In addition to his Distinguished Flying Cross, Johnson has been decorated with the Meritorious Service Medal, four Air Medals, three Aerial Achievement Medals, the Air Force Commendation Medal, two Air Force Achievement Medals and other service/ campaign awards.

Johnson is married to Cari Harbaugh of Lubbock, Texas, and is the father of Matthew, Joseph, and Rachel. He joins his sister Robin in the Fairborn City Schools' Hall of Honor.