Charles E. McClusky, Lt. Colonel, USAF (Retired)
March 23, 1933 – March 10, 2006

Lt. Col. USAF (Ret.) Charles Edward “Mac” McClusky, 72, passed away on Friday, March 10, 2006, in Austin. He was born on March 23, 1933, in Daisetta, Texas, to Tilford E. McClusky and Burkie Jordon McClusky.

Mac graduated Sour Lake High School in 1950 and attended Allen Military Academy in Bryan, Texas, on a football scholarship where he graduated with an Associate Degree in Business. He enrolled in North Texas State College in Denton, Texas, and graduated in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education with a Texas Teaching Certificate, a Commission in the U.S. Air Force as a Second Lieutenant and entered active duty on September 1, 1954, at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. After primary pilot training in Bartow, Florida, in the T-6, he was assigned to Laredo AFB, Texas, where he completed basic pilot training in the T-28 and T-33 and was awarded pilot wings. He was then assigned further training at Gary AFB, San Marcos, Texas, and was qualified in the helicopter. After tours of duty in Tennessee, France, Spain, Nebraska, and Texas, he was assigned to Squadron Officers School in Alabama. Following a tour of duty in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he was assigned to Danang South Vietnam, as Advisor to the South Vietnamese Air Force and completed a one-year tour. Assignments to Olmstead AFB, Pennsylvania, and Dover, Delaware, were followed by assignments to the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia. The next tour of duty was in Kunsan, South Korea, where he was Commander of the Search and Rescue Detachment for one year tour of duty. Following this, he was assigned to Bergstrom AFB, Texas, as helicopter pilot for former President Lyndon B. Johnson and coordinated all Air Force support to the former President. His last tour of duty was at Pacific Command Headquarters in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he was a Department of Defense Level Staff Officer overseeing military assistance and sales to three foreign countries. Mac retired from active duty in August 1974 as a Command Pilot with over 4000 hours flying time. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, nine Air Medals, three Air Force Commendation Medals, two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, and two Foreign Medals for combat missions in Vietnam.

Mac lived in Driftwood, Texas, until 1981 when he moved to Austin, Texas. He taught school at the Texas School for the Deaf until 1984 and then at various drivers’ education schools until 1990, when he began full-time interpreter duties for the hearing impaired in public schools. In 1995, he operated a small vending business in Austin until 1977. Mac was also a friend of Bill W. since September of 1987.

 He will be sadly missed by his loving wife of 53 years, Jennie Sue Garland McClusky; daughters, Jill McClusky and Jana Brzozowski and husband, Dwayne; grandchildren, Bryan Wayne Lindholm, Dustin Edward Lindholm, Laura Lynn Lindholm and their father, Rick Lindholm, and Jared Tate Sampson; numerous other relatives and a host of friends.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday, March 13, 2006, at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 14, 2006, in the Chapel of Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home, with Chaplain Mike Ramos officiating. Interment with Full U.S. Air Force Honors will be following services at Cook-Walden/ Forest Oaks Memorial Park.

For those desiring contributions may be made in Mac’s honor to the charity of their choice.

Burial information: Cook Walden Forest Oaks Memorial Park, Austin, TX