James F. McMahon

James Frederick McMahon, Major USAF Retired, passed away on January 29, 2017 at the age of 100. He was born in Roslyn, Long Island, New York on August 25, 1916 to Mabel W. (Brokob) and James E. McMahon.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Jane E. McMahon, his parents, brother Stuart and sister Margaret. He is survived by his daughters Jane McMahon and Susan McMahon of San Antonio, brothers John (Buddy) McMahon of Whitefield, NH, Donald (Skip) McMahon of Roslyn Heights, NY, numerous nieces and nephews.

He grew up in Albertson, Long Island, New York and started working at a young age to help his family during the depression years. He used his cart and pony, named Jerry, to take people to church. As a boy, he caddied for Babe Ruth and JP Morgan Jr on the golf links of Long Island. He noted that Babe Ruth always had a flask in his golf bag! He golfed himself until his 80’s winning 3 golf tournaments in Alaska. He worked with his German grandfather with nursery and gardening work on the estates in Westbury, Long Island and had a love for gardening, working in the yard and his garden right up to the week before he passed. He also worked as a young man at the lumberyard where his father was a supervisor. He knew how to fix most anything.

In 1934 he entered the Army Air Corps and was stationed in Camp Shelby, Mississippi in the 802 Tank Destroyer Battalion. He later was commissioned and went to pilot training in Ft Stockton, Texas. While on a solo training flight in 1943 another plane flew up under his causing a mid-air collision and he pulled the rip cord and jumped out at 600 feet landing in a rock pile on a sheep ranch in West Texas. According to the FAA report, he and the plane landed on the ground at the same time. He injured his hip but went back to pilot training. After having trouble pushing the right rudder on the plane due to his hip injury he asked for reassignment back to the Army Air Corps. Instead, they asked him to be a bombardier/navigator on B24s. He flew 35 missions in the European Theatre in a B24 named “Stud Hoss”.

He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, 4 Air Medals, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern-Theatre Campaign Medal w/1 silver and 3 bronze stars, World War II Victory Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/1 hour glass device, National Defense Services Medal, 2 Air Force Commendation Medals, Army Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon and the Air Force Longevity Service Medal w/three bronze stars.

After returning from the war, he went back to Long Island and was a Nassau County Policeman in Precinct 3 for approximately 5 years before being recalled to active duty with the Air Force during the Korean War. During his time as a policeman, he served as President of the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association where he asked the Chief that some type of fundraiser for the Association be allowed as they had very little cash to operate with and pay out death benefits. The fundraiser was allowed. He got many good things in place while the PBA President.

After being recalled and serving out his career in the Air Force he was stationed in Reykjavík, Iceland, Watkins Glen, NY, Greenville, SC, Waco, TX. He then served as Commander of the Air Police Squadrons at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska and Lackland AFB, Texas until his retirement from the Air Force in 1966, finishing out 32 years of service. He then worked 12 years as a Civil Service Security Policeman at Kelly AFB. During his time at Kelly AFB, he also served as a Chief Union Steward always helping others.

He was a longstanding member of the Harp and Shamrock Society of Texas, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion Post 336, Distinguished Flying Cross Society, the Caterpillar Club, Air Force Security Forces Association, Veterans of Foreign War Post 7108, and honorary alumnae of the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity at Texas Tech University.

Special thanks go to his special family at the Denny’s Ingram Road for making his last days happy.

Visitation will be at Sunset Northwest Funeral Home, 6321 Bandera Road on Monday, February 6, 2017 beginning at 5:30pm. The funeral service will be at 10:30am on Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery.