BURNS JOHNNY J

WO1 Johnny J. Burns was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 02/20/2020 at the age of 68.3
Oklahoma City, OK
Flight Classes 71-29 and 71-23
Date of Birth 11/13/1951
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with 135 AHC in 71-72, 120 AHC in 72
Call sign in Vietnam RED 19
This information was provided by Sammie Williams - obit

More detail on this person: Johnny Jay Burns, 68, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, died there on Monday, February 20, 2020. He was born November 13, 1951 in Hutchinson, Kansas. Johnny was a warrant officer in the US Army, serving in Vietnam from 1971 to 1972, and earning a silver star medal as a Huey helicopter pilot. Johnny was a medical helicopter pilot at several hospitals in different states, most recently with Oklahoma Medi-flight for many years. The son of Bud and Dot Burns, of Hutchinson, Kansas, went to school at Burrton, Kansas, and there he married Myrna Collins April 11, 1971. They had one child, KC (Burns) Ortega. He married Debbi (Youker) Bowman on May 12, 1990 in Las Vegas, Nevada. They had one daughter, Sophie Burns, and he gained two sons, Thomas and David Bowman. Johnny graduated from US Army Flight School in 1971. He was an Army veteran of Vietnam and was awarded a Silver Star and a Distinguished Flying Cross. He worked as a helicopter pilot for nearly 50 years, including on offshore oil rigs, Alaska bush flying, and medical air transport. He was also an incredible musician who wrote dozens of original songs and lyrics on the guitar. He was preceded in death by parents, Mary Dot Burns and Bud L. C. Burns. Johnny was survived by his wife Debbi; sons, David Bowman, Will Gentry, and Thomas Bowman; daughters K.C. Ortega and Sophie Burns; brother. Jim Burns and wife Coletta; grandchildren Dalton, Cayenne, Noba, Solomon, Marnie, Olivia, and Elliott. Services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, 14 February, at Memorial Park Funeral Home, Oklahoma City, while a graveside service was held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday at the Burrton Cemetery.

Burial information: Burrton Cemetery, Burton, KS

This information was last updated 04/13/2020

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024


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