MCKEE HENRY H

COL Henry H. Mckee was a potential VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 06/26/2001 at the age of 82.6
San Antonio, TX
Date of Birth 11/20/1918
Served in the U.S. Army
This information was provided by SSN deceased search

More detail on this person: Henry H. McKee Henry H. McKee, a charter life member of the United States Army Aviation Association died June 26, 2001. He also was a WWII Veteran. He quit college in 1941 to join the Army, attended Infantry Officer's Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA, graduating at the top of his class and fought in Europe where he was wounded and captured by the German SS. He escaped twice, once successfully. After WWII he was integrated into the Regular Army. He took up flying after WWII and became a Senior Army Aviator, serving varied assignments such as Senior Army Advisor to the Japanese Aviation School. He was awarded the Japanese Army Aviators Wings in the first such award ceremony by the Japanese Government. The U.S. Congress approved this award. He served three years as Director of Logistics at the Army Aviation Test Board. His responsibilities included providing the supply and maintenance data necessary for all the aircraft being tested for inclusion into the Army inventory. He set up the first Desert Test Unit for the Army and conducted this for three years at the Yuma Desert Test Center in Arizona. His unit picked up and desert tested the first Huey, this was a major helicopter used during the Vietnam Conflict. He was the Commanding Officer of one of the Army's largest transport helicopter battalions during 1960-61. He was then promoted to full Colonel and given command of the Army's first Aviation Group, which was stationed in Germany. This group consisted of 160 cargo helicopters. They could carry an Army Battle Group of 2,400 men in a single lift. Additionally, it had two battalions that provided field maintenance for all of the VF Army airplanes and helicopters in Europe. In 1963 he was assigned as the Aviation Officer of Fourth U.S. Army at Fort Sam Houston, TX. When Lyndon Johnson was called to the Presidency, McKee was called to the White House to establish a Presidential Helicopter Flight Detachment for the President. He accomplished this and the unit was based at Randolph Air Force Base. Its mission was to furnish all Presidential helicopter support west of the Mississippi as well as all overseas missions. During LBJ's Presidency, this unit supported him in nine countries in addition to the United States. During his 28 years in the service he served three times in Europe, Germany, France and twice in the Far East (Korea and Japan). McKee is a member of the Infantry School Hall of Fame. He was a well-decorated officer. McKee is survived by his wife, Gloria of San Antonio; his son, James C. McKee (also an Army Aviator); his daughter, Judy and three grandchildren, Craig McKee, James Schaefer and Shawn Dial. He also has one great-granddaughter, Jennifer Schaefer and two great-grandsons, Zachary McKee and Brandon Schaefer.

Burial information: Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, TX

This information was last updated 07/17/2019

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024


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