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15883 Mcphee, Harry John
December 30, 1924 - July 26, 1969

usma1946

 

 

 MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly May '92

Harry John McPhee, Jr.  No.15883  Class of 1946 Died 26 July 1969 in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, aged 44 years. Interment: St. Joseph's Cemetery, Kingston, Massachusetts.


                                          
John McPhee, Jr., sometimes known as "Buzz" by family and friends, was born on 30 December 1924 in Boston, Massachusetts. Always a good student, Buzz was interested in all things military and in flying in particular. Following graduation from Boston College High School, he was overjoyed to receive an appointment to West Point. Shortly before he was to enter the Academy, Buzz was present when the famous "Coconut Grove" nightclub fire occurred and helped in the rescue attempts. On 1 July 1943, Buzz joined the ranks of the Class of 1946 on the banks of the Hudson.

   One of Buzz's roommates, E. Gibb Sharkoff, recalled that they adopted a low-profile technique to stay out of trouble, especially during Plebe year. Buzz had little trouble with academics, although there were a few anxious moments. One of Buzz's boyhood friends, James L. McCarthy, was an enlisted man in the Navy (this being in the middle of World War II). James made plans to visit Buzz to see a football game and to go to the Saturday night hop. James' date for the weekend was a beautiful dancer with the Radio City Rockettes. When Buzz arrived at the Hotel Thayer that night, he informed James that, as an enlisted man, he could not attend the hop; Buzz magnanimously offered to escort James' beautiful date. Being very devoted to his family, Buzz felt that one of his sisters, Kay, might not have the opportunity to get to a West Point dance, so he escorted her to both plebe and graduation hops. When the opportunity arose to apply for flight training, Buzz jumped at the chance. At graduation, he received his wings as a second lieutenant in the US Army Air Corps.
  
  Following graduation, Buzz joined his multi-engine classmates for advanced twin-engine training at Enid Air Force Base, Oklahoma. From there he traveled to the Philippines, where he served as an aide de camp. Buzz returned to the States to attend the Air Tactical School at Tyndall Air Force Base. His next stop was Langley Air Force Base, Virginia It was there that he met and married Helen C. McDowell in September 1951. September 1952 saw Buzz arrive in Chunchon, Korea, where he was a forward air controller with the 6147th Tactical Control Group flying T 6  "Mosquitos." In this capacity, Buzz flew 100 aerial missions (279 combat hours) and received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

 The following excerpts from the citation for this award attest to his valor:   "As pilot of an unarmed T-6 type aircraft, Captain McPhee successfully directed four flights of fighter-bombers on known enemy strong-points. When artillery was unable to furnish marking rounds, Captain McPhee skillfully dived low through intense small arms and automatic weapons fire to pin-point the target with his smoke rockets. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, he then remained over the target, using his technical knowledge of enemy tactics to direct verbally each fighter-bomber on its bombing and strafing runs. As a result of these actions, thirteen bunkers, ten mortar positions, six artillery positions, three caves and one hundred seventy-five yards of trench lines were damaged."
 
 From Korea, Buzz moved to Craig Air Force Base, Alabama to attend the Basic Instructor Course before assignment to Williams Air Force Base, Arizona as an instructor pilot in 1954. Next the McPhees went to Fairford, England, where Buzz was squadron commander of the 3919th Civil Engineering Squadron and was base engineer. After four years, the family traveled to Glasgow Air Force Base, Montana, where Buzz was again the base engineer. His daughter Monica, who was about five at the time, recalled the tremendous amount of snow in Montana and how much time her father had to spend having it removed from the runways. From Montana, Buzz and his family moved to Alaska in February 1966. Almost immediately, in April 1966, Buzz learned he had cancer of the throat. He was transferred to Walter Reed General Hospital, where he discovered that he had a maximum of three years to live. He was retired for physical disability as a major on 11 May 1967. The McPhees returned to Kingston, Massachusetts so that Helen and the children would be among his family in the trying years ahead. He was in and out of Walter Reed, Valley Forge and veterans' hospitals for the remaining years of his life; he died of cancer on 26 July 1969. He was survived by his wife Helen; three sons, James, John and Stephen; two daughters Monica and Patricia; two brothers, Albert and William; and two sisters; Catherine and Evelyn.
  
  Harry John (Buzz) McPhee was a devoted family man. He was so proud of his five children, the oldest of whom was only seventeen at the time of Buzz's death. Daughter Monica remembers her father as a kind, loving man. Sister Kay remembers that Buzz was totally devoted to his wife Helen and wanted to ensure that she and the children were provided for when he could no longer look after them. His beloved Helen died ten years after him.

  Probably the most important event in the life of Buzz McPhee was his graduation from West Point and entrance into the Air Force. Very disciplined, military life was a natural for him. He held strong convictions and believed strongly in tradition. There was never any doubt in his mind what the pillars were in his life: Duty, Honor, Country and Family. His family, friends and classmates will always remember Harry John (Buzz), Jr. as a loving and devoted father and brother, a true friend and a brave and gallant airman. It is with a great deal of pride that the Class of 1946 says, "Well Done, Buzz; Be Thou At Peace!"

       '46 Memorial Article Project and his family
 
 
 
 
 
 

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