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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Jul '53
Andrew Alexander McCoy, Jr. NO.15945
Class of 1946 Killed December 31, 1952 in a Plane Crash near
Forli, Italy, aged 30 years. |
ANDREW ALEXANDER McCOY, Jr. was born in the year of nineteen
hundred and twenty-two on the twenty-seventh day of July in Leechburg,
Pennsylvania, at the home of his maternal grandfather. He was
brought to Pittsburgh soon after birth and spent his childhood
in Pittsburgh. His early childhood traits indicated the path
his life was to follow for he showed great interest in scholarship,
art, music and sports. While still in grade school, Andrew wrote
a play for the grade school graduation exercises in which he
played the leading part of the defense counsel. Andrew was a
leader from the start. He was elected president of the student
council at Baxter Junior High School and served two terms in
this capacity. He was on the honor roll from grade school through
high school and expressed a desire at an early age to study law.
While a pre-law student at the University of Pittsburgh, Andrew
spent several summers as a counselor at Camp James Weldon Johnson
near Pittsburgh, where he spent many hours with young boys training
them in various arts, crafts and sports. Andrew had a sincere
interest in youngsters and often liked to relate to them his
experiences as a newsboy; his newsboy experience beginning at
the age of nine. His conscientiousness in whatever job he undertook
was passed on the to the younger boys. After receiving his Bachelor
of Science Degree from the University of Pittsburgh, Andrew received
an appointment to West Point and graduated from the Academy in
1946. Andrew used the motto "If you cannot find a way, make
one" as his guide throughout his life. His determination,
ambition, ability and good nature carried him through his short,
but full, life.
Andrew belonged to several organizations during his life.
As a member of the R.O.T.C. at the University of Pittsburgh for
four years, he became a member of the National Society of Scabbard
and Blade and was later elected Captain of the Society. He was
also a member of the John Marshall Association at the University
of Pittsburgh. In 1946 Andrew became a member of the Association
of Graduates of the United States Military Academy. In 1950 he
became a life member of the Air Force Aid Society of Washington,
D. C.
His assignments during his military career were all dutifully
performed. In addition to his flying duties, while serving three
years in Germany from 1949 through 1952, Andrew was in charge
of all base supplies, and often served as Defense Counsel and
Trial Judge Advocate in Courts Martials at the base. His superior
officers have sent letters of commendation for the fine service
performed by Andrew while overseas and have commented on the
great interest he took in social and domestic affairs. He took
part and contributed both money and hard work to charity drives
overseas, established himself with foreign friends as a peacemaker,
and took great delight in telling his foreign friends of the
American ideals in life. Telegrams and letters from Europe and
America have borne testimony to the good will he instituted on
both continents.
Captain McCoy returned to the United States in October 1952
on a thirty-day leave before reporting to his new station, Dover
Air Force Base, in Delaware. He was enriched in knowledge from
his travels and was making plans to re-enter college when he
received his last assignment to lead a squadron of planes from
the United States to Europe. With courage he performed his last
duty to his country. An excerpt from a letter Andrew wrote home
while serving his three years of duty overseas will best express
his own personal feeling for his profession: "l am happy
again now that I am flying jet aircraft again-fighter planes
had become a part of me, and once you soar to the vastness of
God's kingdom and see all about you so small and infinite, there
is no turning back--l have climbed to heights where peace is
utmost and clouds do not venture-- there have I found a world
with God . . ."
~Germaine McCoy Haynes.
his sister.
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