Brigadier General Merritt Alden Johnson was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School 6 August 1942, class number 46. His first duty assignment was as Personnel Officer, 55th Armored Regiment, 11th Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Battalion S-2, 63d Armored Infantry Battalion, 11th Armored Division; Regimental S-3/ Regimental Executive Officer/ Commander, HHC, 161st Infantry Regiment, Spokane, Washington; Regimental Executive Officer/Deputy Commander, BG Commander, Headquarters, 1st BG, 161st Infantry, 41st Infantry Division, Spokane, Washington; Brigade Commander, Headquarters, 3d Brigade, 41st Infantry Division; Chief of Staff, HHC, 41st Infantry Division, Seattle, Washington; Brigade Commander, Headquarters, 3d Brigade, 41st Infantry Division, Spokane, Washington; Deputy Brigade Commander, Detachment 1 (HHC) 81st Infantry Brigade, Spokane, Washington; Group Commander, HHD, 115th Transportation Group (MT), Olympia, Washington; Brigade Commander, HHC, 81st Infantry Brigade, Seattle Washington. Colonel Johnson's awards and decorations include: Army Commendation medal, American Defense Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Good Conduct Medal, Bronze Star Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster).