A soldier comes home
Christopher Johnson's body returns to Gallup

Holding hands with his wife Linda Kamps, Col. Bryan Kamps salutes at the side of Mary Johnson, Charles Johnson, and Vivian Johnson while the casket of Army warrant officer Christopher Johnson is carried into Rollie Mortuary Wednesday afternoon in Gallup, NM. Johnson was killed August 14, 2007 in Iraq when the CH-47 Chinook helicopter he was piloting crashed. [Photo by Daniel Zollinger/Independent]

By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Staff writer

The 126 Military Police Company marches behind the hearse carrying the casket of Army warrant officer Christopher Johnson Wednesday afternoon as it leaves the Gallup airport. Johnson was killed August 14, 2007 in Iraq when the CH-47 Chinook helicopter he was piloting crashed. [Photo by Daniel Zollinger/Independent]

GALLUP — Flags flew at half-staff across the state of New Mexico on Wednesday as military authorities returned the body of Christopher Johnson to his family in Gallup.

Johnson, 31, a military helicopter pilot, died Aug. 14 when his Chinook helicopter crashed near Anbar Province, Iraq. Four others were killed in the crash.

Johnson’s parents, Mary and Charles “Chuck” Johnson of Gallup, and his wife, Vivian of Huntsville, Ala., gathered at the Gallup Airport to meet the plane at about 12:30 p.m. An Honor Guard unit, a Black Hawk helicopter, and members of the Gallup Fire Department were also in attendance. Johnson’s casket was then accompanied to Rollie Mortuary with a formal procession through Gallup.

“It was pretty emotional,” said Mary Johnson in a brief telephone interview later Wednesday afternoon. Johnson said she was touched by the public display of respect she witnessed as people stopped to watch the procession slowly make its way through the streets of town.

“It was moving to see how many saluted and had their hands on their hearts,” she said. An exhausted Johnson added that she felt lifted by the support demonstrated by those at the airport and those along the procession route.

Johnson also expressed appreciation for the outpouring of support she and her family have received from friends, neighbors, and strangers since learning of her son’s death last week. In addition to receiving a telephone call from another mother who has lost her son to the war, Johnson said the owner of Gallup’s La Quinta Hotel has helped with lodging for visiting family members, Elaine Notah of Gallup’s National Guard has unit been providing more lodging assistance, and a local organization has come forward with a financial gift for her son’s widow and three young children.

Johnson wanted the public to know the previously announced times for visitation have been modified. Visitation hours, held at the Rehoboth Church, will now be limited to 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 5 p.m. on Friday. The memorial service will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Rehoboth Church.

The family is holding a private funeral service at an undisclosed time.