Raleigh W. Johnson Jr. was born in October 1926 in Houston, Texas. He attended public school from primary to high school. He then attended Rice University [Annotator’s Note: Rice University in Houston, Texas] for two years before entering the Navy. During the Great Depression [Annotator's Note: The Great Depression was a global economic depression that lasted from 1929 through 1939 in the United States], he received a chemistry set for Christmas and he was so excited about it. He would gather mistletoe with his friend and then sell it on the street corner for 25 cents. He was at his friend’s house when he heard about the Pearl Harbor attack [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941] over the radio. He was not aware of the hostilities in Europe and Asia. He did not understand the severity of the event. When he was 17 years old, he went to the City Hall in Houston for a physical. He had flat feet, and he walked on the edges of his feet so that the doctors would not notice. He joined the Navy in October 1944 and was sent to basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center [Annotator’s Note: Great Lakes, Illinois] before joining the Navy’s Eddy Program [Annotator’s Note: Radio Technician Selection Test] which taught him how to maintain and repair radar and radio equipment. Before he joined the Navy, there was a big event downtown when the USS Houston (CL-81) came to town. Some Hollywood starlets came into town, like Joan Blondell [Annotator’s Note: an American actress who performed in film and television for half a century] and Ginger Rogers [Annotator’s Note: an American actress, dancer and singer during the Golden Age of Hollywood]. Johnson collected scrap metal for the war efforts. During his eight months of training, he was stationed in Gulfport, Mississippi and Corpus Christi, Texas. The war ended while he was stationed in Corpus Christi. He then joined a Naval Aviation outfit at Jacksonville [Annotator’s Note: Jacksonville, Florida] where he worked as an aviation electronics technician’s mate until he was discharged in July 1946 with the rating of third class petty officer. The radar equipment was updated and modified throughout the war. One time he got in a plane to go for a spin, but the pilot was new, and the ride was very jerky. Johnson joined the Navy because of the better accommodations. Because Johnson had flat feet, he did not wear the issued boots, but shoes that looked similar to officers’ shoes. He was often mistaken for an officer.

Raleigh W. Johnson Jr. served in the Navy near the end of World War 2. He attended Wright Junior College [Annotator’s Note: Wilber Wright College, Illinois] for the Navy’s Eddy Program [Annotator’s Note: Radio Technician Selection Test]. While there, he contracted scarlet fever and was admitted into the hospital. He had to share a room with another sailor that had syphilis. Johnson also contracted the mumps while in the hospital. He remained in the hospital for over 40 days. The Eddy program trained sailors to maintain and repair radar and radio equipment. During his eight months of training, he was stationed in Gulfport, Mississippi and Corpus Christi, Texas. He was able to see Bob Hope [Annotator's Note: Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope KBE; British-American entertainer who was famous for entertaining American troops serving overseas during World War 2, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War] and other entertainers. He was in Gulfport when the war in Europe ended [Annotator’s Note: 8 May 1945]. While he was in Gulfport, the food was horrible. The food at Corpus Christi and Jacksonville was much better. The war ended while he was stationed in Corpus Christi [Annotator’s Note: Japan surrendered 15 August 1945]. He was on leave in Corpus Christi and celebrated with a nice dinner. People were up and down the streets celebrating the end of the war. Though he missed his opportunity to go overseas, Johnson is grateful for his time in the Navy. He then joined a Naval Aviation outfit at Jacksonville [Annotator’s Note: Jacksonville, Florida] where he worked as an aviation electronics technician’s mate until he was discharged in July 1946, with the rating of third class petty officer. Johnson enjoyed his time in the Navy. Johnson took advantage of the G.I. Bill [Annotator's Note: the G.I. Bill, or Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was enacted by the United States Congress to aid United States veterans of World War 2 in transitioning back to civilian life and included financial aid for education, mortgages, business starts and unemployment].

Raleigh W. Johnson Jr.’s most memorable experience of World War 2 was visiting with his uncle in Chicago [Annotator’s Note: Chicago, Illinois], attending the USO [Annotator's Note: United Service Organizations, Inc.] shows, and watching the Blue Angels [Annotator’s Note: a flight demonstration squadron of the United States Navy] practice in Jacksonville [Annotator’s Note: Jacksonville, Florida]. He served in the war because he had no choice. He had some good experience while he was in the Navy, and he matured a lot being in the service. He recommends the Navy to any young man. Johnson believes there should be institutions like the National WWII Museum [Annotator's Note: The National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana], and that we should continue to teach World War 2 to future generations.