More detail on this person: Lieutenant Colonel MAX RAY CLAIBORNE , 83, passed away on April 4, 2018 at his home in Leesburg, Virginia. He was born August 8, 1934, in Hollis, Oklahoma to Jimmy Virgil and Lucille Harrison Claiborne. Max graduated from Hollis High School in 1954. He attended the University of Oklahoma on an athletic scholarship and received a B.S. degree in Business Education in January 1959. As a Distinguished Military Graduate, he was commissioned in the U.S. Army through the R.O.T.C. program. He married Rose Carol Prokop on February 13, 1965. He spent most of his 23-year Army career flying both fixed and rotary wing aircraft and was involved in the test and evaluation of helicopter programs. He served two tours each at Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort Rucker, Alabama; and Vietnam. He also served tours of duty in Korea; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Knox, Kentucky; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; for the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon, and for the U.S. Army Operational Test and Evaluation Agency, in Arlington, Virginia. His awards and decorations include the Army Aviator Badge, the Vietnam Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Army Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with First Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with First Oak Leaf Cluster, the Joint Services Commendation Medal, the Senior Army Aviator Badge, the Air Medal with Fourteen Oak Leaf Clusters, Two Overseas Service Bars, the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge, the Master Army Aviator Badge, the Expert Infantry Badge, the Royal Thai Aviator Wings, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm, and the Legion of Merit Medal. His last Army position was with the U.S. Army Operational Test and Evaluation Agency as an instrumentation officer for operational testing of smart munitions (i.e., Copperhead, Hellfire) helicopter systems (Chinook D Program), Armor systems (M-1 Abrams Main Battle Tank), and Infantry systems (Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle) from July, 1977 until his retirement from Active Duty in October, 1981 with 22 years, seven months, three days of active service. Following his retirement from the Army he spent ten years working for Kaman Sciences Corporation, Colorado Springs, Colorado as a Research Scientist; his office was in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia. He supported numerous developmental and operational tests. He was a member of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association and a past member of the Army Navy Country Club. He graduated from H-34 flight school Class 60-1. His Vietnam Call Signs were "Full Moon Three-Six," 57th Transportation Company/120th Aviation Company (Airmobile Light), and "Greyhound Six," 240th Assault Helicopter Company. He is survived by the love of his life, Rose C. Claiborne, his wife of over 53 years; two sisters, Nan Yvonne Claiborne Callahan, of Tucson, Arizona, and Linda Gaye Claiborne Hayworth of Fort Worth, Texas; three daughters: Susan Beth Claiborne Harrison, Carol Beth Claiborne Mumey, and Mary Beth Claiborne Anderson Regan; three sons-in-law: William Gregory Harrison, Sol Timothy Mumey, and John Patrick Regan; four granddaughters: Eleanor Jillian Harrison, Abigail Lois Mumey, Julia Glenn Mumey, and Madeline Rose Anderson; and two grandsons: Max Robert Anderson and Michael Ray Anderson. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of the donor's choice. A Viewing Service will be held at Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home, 9902 Braddock Road, Fairfax, Virginia 22032 on Sunday, April 15, 2018, from 2 to 4 p.m. The Funeral and Burial Services to be held later this year at Arlington National Cemetery will be announced once scheduled.Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of the donor's choice. A Viewing Service will be held at Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home, 9902 Braddock Road, Fairfax, Virginia 22032 on Sunday, April 15, 2018, from 2 to 4 p.m. The Funeral and Burial Services to be held later this year at Arlington National Cemetery will be announced once scheduled.
Burial information: Arlington National Cemetery
This information was last updated 05/16/2018
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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