James E. McInerney Jr.

Major General James E. McInerney Jr. (3 August 1930 – 14 October 2014) was a United States Air Force (USAF) officer.

James Eugene McInerney Jr.
Born	(1930-08-03)3 August 1930 Springfield, Massachusetts
Died	14 October 2014(2014-10-14) (aged 84) Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Buried	West Point Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	United States Army United States Air Force
Years of service	1947–1980
Rank	Major General
Commands	13th Tactical Fighter Squadron 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron 86th Tactical Fighter Wing 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
Battles / wars	Korean conflict Vietnam War
Awards	Air Force Cross Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star (3) Distinguished Flying Cross (7) Bronze Star Meritorious Service Medal (2) Air Medal (18) Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with palm and with star Cheonsu Medal Commander of the British Empire
Relations	Thomas McInerney (brother)

Early life and education

McInerney was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, on 3 August 1930, the eldest of five children born to United States Army officer James E. McInerney and Rose Adikes McInerney. He graduated from Georgia Military Academy.

Military career

He enlisted in the United States Army in September 1947 and served as a parachute infantryman until June 1948 when he entered United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point. He graduated in June 1952 and then attended primary, basic and advanced flying schools.

In December 1953 he was assigned to Air Defense Command as a fighter-interceptor pilot and later was transferred to South Korea as a flight commander in the 80th Fighter-Bomber Squadron. In September 1954 he was transferred to the 35th Fighter-Bomber Squadron at Itazuke Air Base, Japan, as squadron maintenance officer and later as operations officer. On 10 May 1955 he shot down the last MiG-15 destroyed by United Nations Command forces in Korea.

He returned to the United States in October 1955 and was assigned to the 1738th Ferrying Squadron, Military Air Transport Service (MATS), Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. In March 1958 he was assigned to the Chief Pilot Division, Headquarters MATS, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. In August 1958 he entered Princeton University under the Air Force Institute of Technology program and graduated in 1960 with a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering. In June 1960 he was assigned to the Research and Development Section, Fighter Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

In January 1964 he became a student at the RAF Staff College, Bracknell, England. He was transferred to the U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) in January 1965, and served with the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing at Bitburg Air Base, West Germany. When the wing was designated to become the first USAFE wing to be equipped with the McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II, he was assigned as chief, F-4 Conversion Office, responsible for planning, coordinating and implementing the changeover from the Republic F-105 Thunderchief aircraft.

In March 1967 he was assigned to the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, as commander of the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron and later became commander of the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron. During this period, he commanded the F-105D and F-105F unit which conducted Wild Weasel surface-to-air missile (SAM) destruction, "Ryan Raider" night-penetration missions and deep-strike interdiction sorties against the most heavily defended targets in North Vietnam. For his actions in that role, he was awarded the Air Force Association "Citation of Honor" for outstanding combat leadership in developing new tactics for the conduct of the air war in Southeast Asia.

On 11 March 1967 his younger brother Richard was killed in action while commanding D Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment in South Vietnam.

McInerney (l) and Shannon (r) after their ejection in September 1967

On 11 August 1967, McInerney and his electronic warfare officer Captain Fred Shannon led the Wild Weasel flight covering the first airstrike against the heavily-defended Paul Doumer Bridge in Hanoi, North Vietnam. During the strike, McInerney and Shannon destroyed two SA-2 SAM sites and suppressed four others. They flew through intense anti-aircraft artillery fire and dodged the three SA-2s launched at their flight. The strike force completely severed the bridge, and not a single aircraft was lost. For their heroism and skill, McInerney and Shannon were each awarded the Air Force Cross. He completed 101 combat missions over North Vietnam.

In November 1967 he joined Headquarters Pacific Air Forces as staff officer in the Operations Plans Division. In August 1969 he entered the National War College, Washington, D.C. While attending the National War College, he obtained his master of science degree in international relations from George Washington University.

In August 1970 he was assigned as chairman of the Department of Defense Air Munitions Requirements and Development Committee in The Pentagon. In this position, he directed a joint service effort to achieve standardization of air munitions under the guidance of the director of defense research and engineering. In July 1971 he became chief of the Development Plans and Analysis Group in the office of the deputy chief of staff, research and development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force.

He returned to West Germany in October 1971, as commander of the 86th Tactical Fighter Wing at Zweibrucken Air Base. When the mission of the wing changed in January 1973, he became commander of the 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. In July 1973 he was named chief of the Air Force Section, Joint U.S. Military Mission for Aid to Turkey, at Ankara, Turkey.

Upon completion of his tour of duty in Turkey, he became director of military assistance and sales, office of the deputy chief of staff, systems and logistics, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., in August 1975. He was promoted to the grade of major general on 6 February 1976, with date of rank 22 June 1973. He was commandant of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort Lesley J. McNair before assuming duty as director of programs, deputy chief of staff programs and analysis, Headquarters U.S. Air Force in January 1979. He retired from the USAF in 1980.

He was a command pilot with more than 5,400 flying hours in T-33, T-38, F-80, F-84, F-86, F-94, F-100, F-102, F-104, F-105, F-106, F-4, F-5, F-15, Hunter, Lightning and Mirage III aircraft.

Later life

From 1992 to 2010 he worked for the National Defense Industrial Association.

He helped establish the American Air Museum at Imperial War Museum, Duxford, for which he was made a Commander of the British Empire in June 2000.

He died on 14 October 2014 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He was buried at West Point Cemetery with his wife Mary Catherine who died in July 2011, his mother and father (USMA 1923), and his younger brothers John (USMA 1959) and Richard (USMA 1960).

Decorations

His military decorations and awards include the Air Force Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star with two oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross with six oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with 17 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation emblem, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award ribbon with "V" device and two oak leaf clusters, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with palm and with star and the South Korean Cheonsu Medal.