LOS ANGELES COUNTY - News from Jan. 6, 1987

James E. Worsham, president of Douglas Aircraft, has been promoted by McDonnell Douglas to corporate vice president-aerospace group executive, replacing Robert L. Johnson.

In the new post, Worsham, who is credited with much of the Douglas subsidiary’s recent success in commercial aircraft sales, will have responsibility for the Douglas division and for the McDonnell Douglas-Canada Ltd. subsidiary.

William T. Gross, executive vice president of the Douglas division, will replace Worsham as president of Douglas Aircraft. The promotions are effective Feb. 2.

Johnson, who has taken an extraordinarily low profile in his position at Douglas, will retire Jan. 30 as corporate vice president-aerospace group executive.

In addition to Douglas Aircraft, Johnson had responsibility for the McDonnell Douglas Astronautics unit. That role will be transferred to Robert C. Little, corporate vice president-aerospace group executive. He presides over the McDonnell Aircraft Co. in St. Louis and McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co. in Mesa, Ariz.

Worsham joined the company in 1982 as executive vice president of Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach after a 30-year career at GE.