Royal Cleaves Johnson (3 October 1882 – 2 August 1939) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from South Dakota and a highly decorated veteran of World War I. He was born in Cherokee, Iowa in 1882. Johnson was the House sponsor of legislation to create a federal charter for the American Legion. The Senate co-sponsor was Sen. Josiah Wolcott of Delaware. The bill was filed on June 27, 1919, passed the House on August 27, passed the Senate on September 5 and was signed by President Wilson on September 16, 1919.