Lieutenant Colonel Bruce G. Johnson and Kathleen Johnson Frisbie Collection, 1964-2019 | Dole Archive Collections

By Brenna Hobbs, Alex Adelmund

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Collection Overview

Title: Lieutenant Colonel Bruce G. Johnson and Kathleen Johnson Frisbie Collection, 1964-2019

Predominant Dates:1964-1974

ID: 01/043

Primary Creator: Frisbie, Kathleen Johnson (1964-2019)

Extent: 7.0 Linear Feet

Arrangement: Materials will mostly be organized chronologically. Correspondence may be arranged alphabetically by last name. Objects and Ephemera will be arranged based on the space available.

Series are defined and arranged by the scale of Kathleen Frisbie’s advocacy, from her and her family's individual struggle to locate and free Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Johnson in “The Johnson Family” series to the much larger scale “International and National Advocacy” series which focuses on Frisbe’s work with the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia and its international efforts. The third series, “Community Advocacy,” contains Frisbie’s communication and advisory work with smaller groups in Kansas and across the country.

Subjects: Frisbie, Kathleen Johnson

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Kathleen Johnson was the wife of Lieutenant Colonel Bruce G. Johnson, who went missing in Vietnam in 1965. The Lieutenant Colonel Bruce G. Johnson and Kathleen Johnson Frisbie Collection contains materials involving missing Americans, the war in Vietnam, and advocacy for prisoners of war and Americans missing in action in Southeast Asia. Most materials found in the collection fall between 1969-1975. The material found in this collection is diverse in medium and topic, but most of it relates to Kathleen Johnson and various advocacy groups.

The collection is organized narratively and divided into four thematic series that reflect Kathleen Johnson’s involvement with POW/MIA advocacy. The International and National Advocacy series encompasses all national and international advocacy efforts for prisoners of war and Americans missing in action in Southeast Asia, including legislative relations and national and international events and trips. The Community Advocacy series includes materials about specific local advocacy groups; this also includes documentation about specific wives and families who served as advocates. The Johnson Family series encompasses all documentation related to Kathleen, Bruce, and the Johnson children, emphasizing Kathleen Johnson’s individual advocacy work and information about Lt. Col. Johnson’s death. The Objects/Ephemera series includes all objects that are part of the Johnson/Frisbie collection. Together, these series trace the evolution of global, national, local, and personal efforts related to POW/MIA advocacy.

This collection includes materials from several organizations: most prominently, the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia, but also groups like the Forgotten Americans Committee of Kansas (FACK), and Voices in Vital America (VIVA). In addition to these advocacy groups, the collection includes information pertaining to specific events, such as Kathleen Johnson’s trips to Paris, the Freedom Tree Dedication in 1974, and the National Week of Concern for Americans Who Are Prisoners of War or Missing in Action in 1971.

Collection Historical Note

Kathleen Johnson, also referred to as Kathleen Frisbie or Bonnie, was born on December 13, 1936, in Harbor Beach, Michigan. She earned her Registered Nurses’ license at Harper Hospital School of Nursing in Detroit and married Bruce Johnson in 1958. They had three children, Bruce Jr., Bryan, and Colleen. In 1964, U.S. Army Captain Bruce Johnson was deployed to Vietnam.

On June 10, 1965, Johnson’s helicopter was shot down in South Vietnam during the Battle of Đồng Xoài. He radioed in that all others aboard had been killed and then he disappeared. After the accident, local reports mentioned a man being captured who matched a description of Bruce Johnson. Because of this, it was believed that he had become a prisoner of war. While Johnson was listed as missing, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Some accounts list him as the fifth U.S. soldier reported missing in Vietnam.

After her husband's disappearance, Kathleen applied for residence at Schilling Manor, a closed Air Force base outside of Salina, Kansas, where families of Vietnam servicemen had built a supportive community. In 1970, she co-founded the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia to advocate for POW/MIAs. She had meetings with President Richard Nixon, made multiple trips to Paris to meet with the North Vietnamese delegation, and maintained regular communication with Senator Bob Dole, who supported efforts to bring attention to Vietnam POW/MIAs. On February 27, 1978, the Secretary of the Army issued a Presumptive Finding of Death for Lt. Col. Bruce Johnson.

In 1979, Kathleen married Robert R. Frisbie (Bob). They were married for 32 years when Frisbie passed away in 2011. When Kathleen passed away on November 4, 2024, in Michigan, she was survived by her three children, ten grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren.

Subject/Index Terms

Frisbie, Kathleen Johnson

Administrative Information

Repository: Dole Archive Collections

Access Restrictions:

Some materials within the Dole Archive are restricted because of their sensitive nature or because they contain personal or confidential information. These records are protected by federal laws such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Examples of restricted records are personnel files, medical records, financial records, and any materials containing personal information such as addresses and social security numbers. Restricted materials are identified at the box and/or folder level within the finding aid. Questions about these materials may be directed to the Senior Archivist of the Dole Archives.

Use Restrictions: Copyright restrictions apply in different ways to different kinds of materials. Many of the documents and other historical materials in the Archive are in the public domain and may be reproduced and used in any way. Senator Dole has not donated her copyright interest in her papers and other historical materials to the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics. Permission to publish must be obtained from her or her designer. There are other materials in the library carrying a copyright interest that must be used according to the provisions of Title 17 of the U.S. Code. The Archive issues a warning concerning copyright restrictions to every researcher who requests copies of documents. Although copyright law is under constant redefinition in the courts, it is the researcher's responsibility to properly use copyrighted materials.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: The Johnson Family, 1969-2019],
[Series 2: International and National Advocacy, 1964-1973],
[Series 3: Community Advocacy, 1966-2005],
[Series 4: Objects/Ephemera, 1967-1973],
[All]

Series 3: Community Advocacy, 1966-2005

Sub-Series 1: Forgotten Americans Committee of Kansas (FACK), 1971-1974

Box 6

Folder 1: 1971 Paris Trips, 1971 March 5-June 6
Folder 2: Conflict with Voices in Vital America (VIVA), 1972 July 26-August 14
Folder 3: Wichita, Kansas 1972 Veterans' Day, 1972 September 19-October 23
Folder 4: President Nixon Correspondence, 1972 November 7
Folder 5: How to Help Prisoners of War, 1973 January 27
Folder 6: Anne Howes Statement to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 1974 January 28
Folder 7: Accountability Program, 1974 March 20
Folder 8: Proposed Presumptive Finding of Death (PFOD) Legislation, undated

Sub-Series 2: Kansas Chapter of the League of Families, 1970-1974

Box 6

Folder 9: Carolyn Cushman Correspondence, 1970 February 16-March 30
Folder 10: Kansas Chapter News Clippings, 1971 February 28
Folder 11: William Roy Correspondence, 1971 March 10
Folder 12: Letters to Family Members, 1972 May 10-1973 December 30
Folder 13: Third Annual Meeting, 1973 June 23
Folder 14: Cloyd Pugh Correspondence, 1973 August
Folder 15: Joint Meeting with the Missouri Chapter, 1973 October 7
Folder 16: Harold and Pat McCubbin Correspondence, 1974 March 7

Sub-Series 3: Local Efforts, 1966-2005

Box OVS 1

Folder 17: Wives of Missing Servicemen - News Clippings, 1966 March 23-1971 February 21

Box 6

Folder 18: Local Correspondence Campaigns, 1969-1970
Folder 19: United We Stand - News Clippings, 1969 November 9
Folder 20: Association of Wives and Families of Captured and Missing American Military Men, 1969 December 7
Folder 21: Remembrance Weeks in Kansas, 1970
Folder 22: James and Sybil Stockdale, 1970 February-2005 July 23
Folder 23: Fighting Homefolks of Fighting Men, 1970 February 15
Folder 24: Rescue Line for Prisoners of War - Correspondence, 1970 February 25
Folder 25: John and Diana O'Grady, 1970 March
Folder 26: Letters to the President of North Vietnam, 1970 March 1
Folder 27: Schilling Manor - The Schilling Sun Weekly Bulletin, 1970 March 4-1971 January 23
Folder 28: Reverend Bernard R. Hawley Sermon in Salina, 1970 March 8
Folder 29: Forgotten Americans Rally in Omaha, 1970 May 24
Folder 30: Address by Brigadier General Daniel James at Selfridge Air Force Base, 1970 May 25

Box 7

Folder 1: Prisoner of War Cage Replica Exhibit, 1970 June-1972 March 29
Folder 2: United We Stand - Correspondence, 1970 June 9
Folder 3: Advocacy Campaigns at McConnell Air Force Base, 1970 August
Folder 4: Floyd and Valerie Kushner, 1970 September-1973 April 23
Folder 5: Dinner with Vice President Spiro T. Agnew in Wichita, 1970 October 29
Folder 6: List of Kansas Prisoners of War, 1971
Folder 7: Poems about Prisoner of War Advocacy, 1971
Folder 8: Prisoner of War Committee of Michigan, 1971 January 19-1974 March 26
Folder 9: The American Legion of Topeka - Correspondence, 1971 February 11
Folder 10: Disabled American Veterans Press Releases, 1971 February 17
Folder 11: Salina, Kansas Upcoming Events, 1971 February 27
Folder 12: Fort Leavenworth Headquarters Bulletin, 1971 March 1
Folder 13: New Life Victory March in Lansing, Michigan, 1971 March 20
Folder 14: Abeline Lions Club, 1971 May 4-5
Folder 15: Bobby and Joan Vinson, 1971 October 13
Folder 16: Jeremiah and Jane Denton, 1972 April
Folder 17: Tax Information for Families and Executors of Missing Servicemen, 1973 March
Folder 18: Kansas City Meetings, Contacts, and Projects, 1973 March 8-10
Folder 19: Concern for Prisoners of War, Inc. - Correspondence, 1973 May 20
Folder 20: High Flight Foundation - Retreat Ministry for Families of Missing Servicemen, 1973 June 16-July 27
Folder 21: A Prayer for Prisoners of War Leaflet, undated
Folder 22: Evelyn Lobdell Correspondence, unknown year August 5
Folder 23: Paul and Phyllis Galanti, undated
Folder 24: Prisoner of War Christmas Cards Order Form, undated