“"Today, we mourn the passing of a true hero. For twenty eight years, Sam Johnson represented the Third Congressional District with honor, respect, and, in true Texas fashion, with a whole lot of heart.

"Before Sam was elected to Congress, he served twenty-nine years in the United States Air Force and flew combat missions in both the Korean and Vietnam War, where he was shot down and taken captive. He spent nearly seven years as a prisoner of war in Hanoi Hilton enduring forty-two months in solitary confinement and repeated torture. But Sam never broke and never wavered in his commitment to his country.

"Sam Johnson was a legend – a real life legend.

"After returning home to his beloved wife, Shirley, Sam continued to serve his country, first, in the Texas House of Representatives and then in the United States Congress.

"Congressman Johnson will forever be enshrined as the embodiment of an American hero and has given our next generation a role model to emulate. I am blessed to have known Sam and to have been able to learn so much from him. His family and loved ones are in our thoughts and prayers during this time."