Ed Johnson

Ed Johnson (1943-2024) – husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, and spy.

Edward Bernard Johnson passed away on August 27, 2024, at his home in Chantilly VA. He was born on July 29, 1943, to Edward B. Johnson and Mary I. Johnson (nee Cassidy) in Brooklyn, NY. After his 1961 graduation from St. Dominic High School in Huntington Station, Long Island, NY, he studied at Assumption College in Worcester, Mass., served in the army, and worked in the middle east.

In 1971, while studying at the Sorbonne, Paris, he met his wife, Aileen (nee Heal). The next year he was recruited by Sidney Gottlieb to join the Central Intelligence Agency.

Edward Bernard Johnson, a name that whispered through the corridors of intelligence, slipped into the silent shadows on August 27, 2024. He was, at once, the ordinary man next door – husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend – and an extraordinary agent of the state.

His life was a tapestry woven with threads of secrecy and service. In the vibrant tapestry of Paris, in the early 1970s, he met Aileen, his life’s companion. Their love story was a quiet counterpoint to the storm clouds gathering over the Cold War.

His career was marked by daring missions, each a gamble with the highest stakes. The rescue of six American diplomats from the clutches of the Iranian revolution in 1979 was a masterpiece of deception and courage. Along with his partner, masterminded the escape of the U.S. citizens from the homes of two Canadian diplomats by passing them off as members of a film crew. E The “Canadian Caper,” as it would later be known, was a testament to Johnson’s ingenuity and his unwavering dedication to his country.

But even as the world celebrated his heroism, he remained a ghost, a figure shrouded in anonymity. For decades, his identity was a closely guarded secret. It was only in the twilight of his life that he finally emerged from the shadows, a legend in his own right.

In 1995, Ed retired to spend his time working as a contractor, traveling and photographing his surroundings.

Ed joins his father, mother, and sister, Ursula, in Heaven. He is survived by his loving wife Aileen; five children, nine grandchildren, two sisters, numerous nieces, nephews, and dear friends. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

A private church service and funeral service will be held with family and friends.