Montana Native Will Head Navy

President Clinton has picked Adm. Jay Johnson - a former Vietnam fighter pilot - to lead a Navy devastated by the suicide last month of Adm. Jeremy “Mike” Boorda, administration officials said Tuesday night.

Clinton was expected to announce the appointment of the Great Falls, Mont., native as Chief of Naval Operations today - Johnson’s 50th birthday.

In choosing Johnson, who has been acting CNO since Boorda took his own life on May 16, the president appeared to be playing it safe.

Johnson, whose daughter Colleen was runner-up at the 1994 Miss America pageant, has never been associated with the Tailhook sex scandal or the other controversies that have tarnished the sea service in recent years. Johnson also has a reputation as a straight-laced, somewhat austere officer.