More detail on this person: Lewis Eugene
"Buck" Buchanan. Graduated flight school with
Flight Class 70-19, flew in Vietnam with D Troop,
3/5th Cav (1970-1971)under the Crusader 33
callsign.
LTC (R) Lewis Eugene "Buck" Buchanan, the
consummate warrior, was born on Johnson Air
Force Base in Japan on May 18, 1950 and passed
away on June 8, 2012. Buck graduated from
Itazuke High School in Japan in 1968, graduated
summa cum laude from Chaminade College in
Hawaii with a degree in business and earned his
Master's in Public Administrator from the
University of Missouri in Kansas City. Buck was
interested in everything and maintained a lifelong
pursuit of learning.
Buck joined the Army in 1969 at age 19. He did his
Basic Training at Fort Polk, Louisiana, and his
warrant officer flight training at Fort Wolters,
Texas, Fort Rucker, Alabama, and Fort Stewart,
Georgia. He served a year in Vietnam with D
Troop, 3/5 Cavalry in 1970-71. This began a career
of cavalry assignments, spanning tours in Fort
Hood, Schofield Barracks, Fort Rucker, Fort Knox
and Fulda (Germany). He took a direct commission
from Chief Warrant Officer 3 to Captain in 1981,
and in his subsequent assignments served tours
with Special Operations (Delta), the Command and
General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth,
Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) at Fort
Monroe, ROTC at the University of South Carolina,
and 24th Infantry Division at Fort Jackson.
Buck retired from the Army in July 2006 after 37
years of active duty and began his service as a
Department of the Army Civilian with First Army
Division East at Fort Meade, Maryland, in
December 2006. His awards and decorations
include the Master Army Aviator Badge, the Legion
of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal,
Air Medal with V Device, Army Commendation
Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good
Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal,
Vietnam Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism
Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army
Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon,
Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and the Republic of
Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Buck enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, scuba
diving, cooking and especially snow skiing,
serving over 20 years with the National Ski
Patrol. He had a fondness for both the ocean and
the mountains and was at home anywhere in the
world. He is survived by his wife, Joyce; two
daughters, his son-in-law, PFC Thomas Stanish;
one grandson, one sister, Janice and his battle
buddy, BG Jan Haigler. A celebration of life for
Buck was held at the Fort Meade, MD Officer's Club
on 21 July.
I wish to add the following information about LTC
Lewis E. Buchanan (Ret.):
LTC Buchanan was TDY as a WO1 to United
States Army Aviation School Element, Hunter Army
Airfield, Savannah, GA
23 July 1970 to 24 Aug 1970 to attend AH-1G
(Cobra) Aviator Transition Course Class No. 71-2
Special Orders Number 164
Extract
8. TC 114
I was his classmate for Class No. 70-19 (Ft.
Rucker) and we shared an apartment during Class
No. 71-2 Cobra Hall. Lewis was good folks as the
expression goes.
Dan Brunger
This information was last updated 01/14/2021
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Date posted on this site: 03/11/2023
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