Johnny Barrett Floyd

Major Johnny Barrett Floyd, USAF retired, made his final flight April 30, 2014. Born September 30, 1940, near Tyronza, Arkansas, he and his mother moved to Miami, Florida, after World War II started and his father enlisted in the Army. He graduated from Miami Edison High School and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. After being accepted in the Aviation Cadets, he was sent to navigator school in Harlingen, Texas. After several years flying KC-97 and KC-135 tankers, Capt. Floyd applied for pilot training at Moody, AFB in Georgia, and then requested combat duty in Vietnam. He was assigned to a C-130A unit in Okinawa, Japan. Major Floyd received two Distinguished Flying Crosses during his career. The first DFC was awarded for flying an unarmed C-130A recon flareship (Blind Bat) over Laos in 1969. The second DFC was for bringing emergency jet fuel to an airfield through hostile ground fire and adverse weather conditions. Other awards include a Bronze Star, Air Medal, Air Force Commendation, Meritorious Service, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, and PACAF Order of the Able Aeronaut. Major Floyd's final assignment was with the 314th Tactical Airlift Wing at Little Rock AFB as an airlift control officer. He retired from the Air Force in 1984 after more than 25 years. He later served as an emergency dispatcher for North Little Rock. Survivors include his wife of more than 52 years, Lianne Lay Floyd; four children, Elizabeth Jones, Christopher Floyd, Jennifer Gordon and Donna Ernster; grandchildren Robbin Gordon, Adrian Jones, Noah Jones, Denny Ernster, Erin Saben and Kevin Ernster; and several great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the veterans' program or your choice. A memorial service will be held at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery located at 1501 West Maryland Ave., N.L.R. Ark, 72120, Friday, May 9, 2014 at 10 a.m. Memorial may be made to www.griffinleggettresthills.com.