Philip G. Johnson
Encyclopedia
Philip Gustav Johnson was a pioneer in the manufacturing of airplanes and in the organization of commercial airlines in the United States
and Canada
. Johnson served as president of Boeing
, United Airlines
and Kenworth
.
. He graduated from the University of Washington
in 1917 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering
. In Johnson’s senior year, William Boeing
recruited him for a position at the fledgling Boeing Company. Johnson started working for Boeing as draftsman in the engineering department. He was named president in 1926. He later headed United Airlines
and its whole aeronautical conglomerate
, United Aircraft and Transport Corporation
. In the aftermath of the Air Mail scandal
of 1934, he was officially barred from the industry for several years, along with many other air executives.
In 1937, Johnson collaborated to launch Trans-Canada Airlines as Vice President of Operations. Johnson also served as president of truck manufacturer Kenworth Truck Company
from 1937 until his death. In 1939, the Federal legislation that had driven Johnson out of Boeing was rescinded. He returned to Boeing as president, focusing on the war production required by World War II
.
Johnson also served on the Board of Directors for the Pacific National Bank, Puget Sound Power and Light, and Puget Sound Navigation Company
. For his numerous accomplishments, he was also named the “First Citizen” of Seattle in 1943. He died the following year at the age of 49 from a cerebral hemorrhage. In 1990, Philip G. Johnson was honored when The Boeing Company endowed an engineering chair at the University of Washington
in his name.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Johnson served as president of Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
, United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
and Kenworth
Kenworth
Kenworth is an American manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty Class 8 trucks based in Kirkland, Washington, United States, a suburb of Seattle. It is a subsidiary of PACCAR, and is also a former manufacturer of transit buses and school buses.-History:...
.
Biography
Philip Gustav Johnson was born the son of Swedish immigrants Charles and Hannah Johnson in Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. He graduated from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in 1917 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
. In Johnson’s senior year, William Boeing
William Boeing
William Edward Boeing was an American aviation pioneer who founded The Boeing Company.-Biography:Boeing was born to a wealthy German mining engineer named Wilhelm Böing who had made a fortune and who had a sideline as a timber merchant...
recruited him for a position at the fledgling Boeing Company. Johnson started working for Boeing as draftsman in the engineering department. He was named president in 1926. He later headed United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
and its whole aeronautical conglomerate
Conglomerate (company)
A conglomerate is a combination of two or more corporations engaged in entirely different businesses that fall under one corporate structure , usually involving a parent company and several subsidiaries. Often, a conglomerate is a multi-industry company...
, United Aircraft and Transport Corporation
United Aircraft and Transport Corporation
The United Aircraft and Transport Corporation was formed in 1929, when William Boeing of the Boeing firms teamed up with Frederick Rentschler of Pratt & Whitney to form a large, amalgamated firm, uniting business interests in all aspects of aviation—a combination of aircraft engine and airframe...
. In the aftermath of the Air Mail scandal
Air Mail Scandal
The Air Mail scandal, also known as the Air Mail fiasco, is the name that the American press gave to the political scandal resulting from a congressional investigation of a 1930 meeting , between Postmaster General Walter Folger Brown and the executives of the top airlines, and to the disastrous...
of 1934, he was officially barred from the industry for several years, along with many other air executives.
In 1937, Johnson collaborated to launch Trans-Canada Airlines as Vice President of Operations. Johnson also served as president of truck manufacturer Kenworth Truck Company
Kenworth
Kenworth is an American manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty Class 8 trucks based in Kirkland, Washington, United States, a suburb of Seattle. It is a subsidiary of PACCAR, and is also a former manufacturer of transit buses and school buses.-History:...
from 1937 until his death. In 1939, the Federal legislation that had driven Johnson out of Boeing was rescinded. He returned to Boeing as president, focusing on the war production required by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Johnson also served on the Board of Directors for the Pacific National Bank, Puget Sound Power and Light, and Puget Sound Navigation Company
Puget Sound Navigation Company
The Puget Sound Navigation Company was founded by Joshua Green in 1913. It operated a fleet of steamboats and ferries on Puget Sound in Washington and the Georgia Strait in British Columbia...
. For his numerous accomplishments, he was also named the “First Citizen” of Seattle in 1943. He died the following year at the age of 49 from a cerebral hemorrhage. In 1990, Philip G. Johnson was honored when The Boeing Company endowed an engineering chair at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in his name.
Other sources
- Boeing History: Philip G. Johnson
- United Airlines History Web site
- Kenworth History - 1936 to 1944
- HistoryLink.org: Johnson, Philip G. (1894-1944)
- P.G. Johnson Estate Woodway
Related Reading
- Bagley, Clarence History of King County Washington, Vol. III (Chicago-Seattle: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1929)
- Hanford, C. H. Seattle & Environs: 1852-1924, Vol. II (Chicago-Seattle: Pioneer Historical Publishing Co., 1924)
- Mills, Albert J., Helms Mills, Jean, and Grandy, Gina. Flying in the face of reality: Gender rules in Trans-Canada Air Lines and the British Overseas Airways Corporation, 1937-1947, 19th International Colloquium of the Standing Conference on Organizational Symbolism (2001)