Maxwell Orme Johnson
Services Oct 13, 2023 at 10AM at Quantico
additional photos
Max wrote this several years ago for our WHS'64 Website--- JimM
I’m a retired Marine Corps officer, defense consultant and business executive. I have lived in Camelot, Annandale, VA, Fairfield Beach and Fredericksburg, VA, Shelburne, VT, and Bonita Springs, FL during the past 35 years.
Married to Anna Lee Lamkin Johnson of Shelburne and Bonita Springs. We have three children: daughter Ann Marie Johnson Melville, MD, her husband Ensign Gregory Melville, USNR and their daughter, Greer, and son, Kai, all of Ashville, NC; son, Lee, and his wife, Stephanie or Charlotte, NC; daughter Barbara, and her children, Lily Orme and Seth of Bonita Springs. My brother, Christopher Ward, WHS class of 1966, was a career AF pilot, and has several children and grandchildren.
I graduated from Santa Clara University in 1968, received my MA in Middle East Studies from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon in 1974, and earned my PhD in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia in 1982. I’ve published numerous articles on international security issues, military strategy, and military history.
My professional career has spanned over 40 years of military service, government operations, leading-edge research and development, international and military security policy analysis, and business development. I retired as a Colonel after 22 years in the Corps, and spent the next 23 years in several business development and senior operations and program management positions in the private sector. These included Director of European Sales and Marketing for Magellan Corporation (GPS), Director of International Marketing for Tacoma Boat (coastal patrol boat and yachts), Marketing Manager for Sperry Marine (marine navigation systems), Director of International Projects for The Washington Times, President of Chenowth Corporation (military vehicles), senior joint military analyst for Cubic Corporation in the Marine Air Ground Staff Training Program, and Senior Military Analyst for the Marine Corps in support of OIF.
During my career in the Marine Corps, as an armor officer, I served in command and operational positions at every level from platoon through regiment, including a tour in Vietnam as the Force Reconnaissance and Surveillance Officer for III Marine Amphibious Force and later as Assistant Combat Intelligence Officer for the 1st Marine Division. I subsequently served as Commanding Officer, BRAVO Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, Commanding Officer of Mechanized Task Force BRAVO in NATO Operations Deep Furrow and Deep Express in Norway, Denmark and Germany in 1976, and Executive Officer of the 27th Marine Regiment in 1986-87.
A specialist in Middle Eastern politico-military affairs throughout my military career, during my final military posting, I was Country Director for Persian Gulf Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, advising Secretary Weinberger and Secretary Carlucci on critical strategic issues in this volatile area.
Sent by classmate and teammate John O'Connor
WELCOME TO GERMANY PART ONE:
The yearbook photos: portrait and posed hook pass or shot, are exactly how Max looked the day I met him, three days after my family checked into The American Arms fresh off the plane from stateside. Desparate with boredome from losing at the nickel slots (I was not yet aprised of the trick that made one of them pay out🥱), waiting for Dad to find us an apartment “on the economy “. Dedicated hardass playground baller and gym rat that I was, I discovered that the blue bus that stopped regularly at the hotel also included the Lindsey Air Station gym on its route. There I was, doing the solo shootaround when a rugged looking dude about my height burst out of the locker room and strode directly up in my face. He immediately threw down the immortal playground challenge: “Wanna go? 1 on 1 to 11. Gotta win by 2!” My response was “Of course. Winners out!” These were the particularly relentless and unforgiving rules of playground basketball 1 on 1. With characteristic hubris, I offered Max first outs. Like 2 teenage basketball boxers we went toe to toe, until I managed the winning shot, my newly minted behind the back Cousy-esque fade left. Completely unfazed, Max immediately called “Rematch! Welcome to Germany. And don’t even think about not going out for the team!”.
WELCOME TO GERMANY PART TWO.
After we finished our 1 on 1 intro which took another hour of split decisions Max offered me a lift back to the hotel in the Johnson family beetle. It was there that Max hatched the plot: In a couple of days he and another buddy, Pat Neri were going to take the Johnson family VW on a pre school pre labor day rip south to Munich and beyond. Beyond being Berchesgarten, Hitler’s notorious Eagles’ Nest,NOW a USAFE R and R focus. Max wanted me in. So up we went to introduce Max and the Plan. it didn’t take long for Silver Tonged Max to secure Sue O’Connor’s approbation She, in turn, mixed Lt Col John F a highball to relax his arched brow. Max’s persuasive powers were awesome.We left Munich rather late in the day. The girls Max had introduced us to wanted us (or probably Max) to stay over. But we had reservations, and we were burnin’ Daylight. Max and Pat decided to grab some shuteye, leaving me and my 2 week old Mass license, to drive. The road got narrow and twisty. The twilight faded. Suddenly a roadside sign appeared in the gloom: Zoll Douane, Border Ahead! Time fo wake up, Max! “Zo, Vas ist los?”queried the young border guard. We all ponied up our Military Dependant ID’s and Dog Tags. Max explained our predicament. The young trooper’s face brightened. “Wir Vollen Sie Hilfen!”. He explained that if we got caught it would be bad for us and worse for him. He provided us with precise instructions to get back into Germany on a VW friendly woods road, no checkpoints. Max drove on, right into Berchesgarten. Welcome to Germany! Life was simpler then. Und viel Besser, Ja?