Camp Leroy Johnson

Camp Leroy Johnson in New Orleans, Louisiana, formerly known as the New Orleans Air Base, was located on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain in the area bounded west by London Ave. south by Leon C. Simon Dr. and east by Inner Harbor Navigation Canal. The area is occupied today by the University of New Orleans. One former building of the base still remains. The "smokestack" was incorporated into an Alumni Building. An accent barrack was used as a record storage building until 2007 when it was torn down.

The base used jointly with the New Orleans Airport for training during World War II. It was transferred to the Air Service Command and became part of the New Orleans Port of Embarkation facilities. Signal and Quartermaster units were trained on the post and it housed a Transportation Corps Officer Candidate School and a Replacement Training Center.

The base was named after World War II Medal of Honor recipient Leroy Johnson. He was a native of Caney Creek near Chatham, Louisiana, Louisiana and served as a Sergeant, U.S. Army. He died on December 15, 1944 near Limon, Leyte, Philippine Islands shortly after he threw himself on two enemy grenades saving two comrades. In 1947 the New Orleans Navy Air Base was renamed Camp Leroy Johnson in his honor.

References

• Pamphlette on WWII in Louisiana published by the State of Louisiana.

External links

• Obituary for Leroy Johnson on Findagrave.com