Marion M. Magruder
Encyclopedia
Marion Milton Magruder (June 27, 1911 - June 27, 1997) was an officer
in the United States Marine Corps
and a pioneer in Radar Intercept Night Fighting. He was the first commanding officer of Marine squadron VMF(N)-533
, then known as "Black Mac's Killers"http://acepilots.com/usmc/usmc_vmfn533.html, and led that squadron during the Battle of Okinawa
in World War II
.
. He was the third of four children, also including Aliene, Eldon and Jane Magruder. He graduated as an Honor Graduate from the University of Kentucky
on May 22, 1936 with an AB-Psychology. He was the undefeated University of Kentucky Golden Gloves
Welter Weight
Boxing Champion, a member of the Sword and Scabbard Military Fraternity and member of Alpha Tau Omega
fraternity. The Governor of Kentucky commissioned him Kentucky colonel
and the Mayor of Lexington presented him with the ‘Key to the City of Lexington.’
After graduating from the Reserve Officers' Training Corps
program at the University of Kentucky, Magruder accepted an officers commission in the United States Marine Corps
on July 1, 1936 becoming a 2nd Lieutenant
.
On July 5, 1938, Magruder reported for Flight School
at Naval Air Station Pensacola
, Florida
. After graduating as Naval Aviator
6008, he was promoted to First Lieutenant
.
for a 3 month stint to learn as much as possible about Radar Intercept Night Fighting from the Royal Air Force
(RAF). The United States Navy
critically needed to establish effective night fighting capabilities for the Pacific Campaign
. Magruder was assigned to develop the U.S. Naval Radar Intercept Doctrine that entailed extensive modification of the British system into an almost totally different operational syllabus. Admiral John S. McCain, Sr.
, then Director Aircraft Pacific, required a single pilot, single engine aircraft that was capable of operating from a carrier while the British utilized a two seat fighter that employed an onboard radar operator. Magruder reconfigured the system to include a remote ground control intercept
(GCI) radar operator to coordinate exclusively with his designated pilot to vector him near enough for the pilot’s own short range radar to locate the target. In June 1943 Magruder was assigned as Fight Fighter
Training Officer at the newly formed Marine Aircraft Group 53 (MAG-53) at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
, North Carolina
.
On October 1, 1943 Magruder became the Commanding Officer
of the newly formed VMF(N)-533 which eventually took the nickname Black Mac’s Killers. VMF(N)-533 was the first Marine Corps squadron to receive the F6F-3(N) Hellcat
night fighter.
After a difficult radar intercept training program the squadron deployed to Eniwetok Atoll on May 6, 1944 to take over the night defense of the area. On July 6, 1944 the Magruder's squadron also set up a rotating contingent on Roi Island and Kwajalein Atoll for their night defense. On November 30, 1944 "Black Mac's Killers" moved its base of operations from Eniwetok to Engebi.
On May 7, 1945, VMF(N)-533, on three days notice, was ordered to deploy to Yontan Airfield
on Okinawa to shore up sagging night defenses during the Battle of Okinawa
. With just a skeleton crew of fifteen pilots flying their fifteen Hellcats, and an extra thirteen officers (8 extra pilots, Flight Surgeon
, Flight Director
with 3 key department heads) along with 57 enlisted men flying in 5 transport aircraft
provided VMFR 252, with whatever spare parts and gear that could be squeezed onboard, they departed on the longest over water flight of single engine fighters in WWII. The remainder of the squadron personnel and equipment followed by sea on LST’s and would not link up again with this skeleton crew for more than a month.
Arriving on May 10, 1945 at Yontan Field, Okinawa, the squadron was operational in 36 hours. On June 15, 1945 the squadron moved operations from Yontan Air Field to Charlie Air Strip, Ie Shima
where they joined the rest of the squadron personnel and served out the war. In spite of the fact VMF(N)-533 arrived 40 days after the campaign for Okinawa began, and the weather was terrible throughout, Black Mac’s Killers registered 35 enemy aircraft victories and 1 probable—all Radar Intercepts, which was almost as many aircraft destroyed as all three other night fighter squadrons on Okinawa, combined. VMF(N)-533 was the top scoring Night Fighter Squadron of the Pacific Theatre in WWII. VMF(N) 533 had the best safety record and the highest combat ready rate for any operational squadron in the Pacific. In 15 months deployment overseas, the ‘Killers’ logged over 11,000 flight hours. For this action, the squadron were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation
. July 8, 1945 Lieutenant Colonel Magruder transferred command of VMF(N)-533 to his Executive Officer
and returned to the United States for a War Bond Tour
.
Shortly after V-J Day
, September 1945, Magruder became the Commanding Officer of Marine Aircraft Group 53 (a fully integrated Night Fighter Command) at Marine Corps Air Station Eagle Mountain Lake
, Texas
. The group consisted of seven tactical squadrons, one service and support squadron, one headquarters squadron, one ground control radar squadron and one ground control approach radar unit. This totalled nearly 2400 officers and men with 146 aircraft. At the time this was the largest aircraft group in Marine Aviation. In February 1946, MAG-53 moved operations back to MCAS Cherry Point.
, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base
, Alabama
. He co-wrote the thesis "The Impact and Role of Missiles In a War During the Foreseeable Future 5–10 Years." From August 1948 to May 1950, Magruder was assigned as instructor, Aviation Section Marine Corps Schools, Senior Course, Marine Corps Base Quantico
, Virginia
.
In June 1950 Lieutenant Colonel Magruder was assigned to Chief of Staff
of Commander-in-Chief
Europe, Heidelberg, Germany
. Magruder was the only Marine Officer assigned to this Theatre Command. For this assignment Admiral Forrest Sherman
, Chief of Naval Operations
, after interviewing numerous senior Marine officers, personally selected Magruder for this special duty. Magruder became assistant head of the Plans Branch of the Operations, Plans, Organization and Training Division of the European Unified Command. Responsibilities included: Preparation and presentation of many U.S. “Eyes Only” plans to be placed into operation in the event of emergency and/or war. As a member of the Senior U.S. Command in Europe Magruder was responsible for effecting coordination for complete planning with all other major commands in Europe as well as many high level civil authorities
in Germany
, France
and England. On January 1, 1951 Lieutenant Colonel Magruder was promoted to Colonel.
July 1952 Colonel Magruder was assigned Assistant Head of Plans and Operations Branch, Division of Aviation Headquarters, Marine Corps, Washington D.C. Responsibilities required preparation and presentation of many plans and staff studies for the training and operations of all Marine Corps Aviation—and determining operational requirements for aircraft and new aircraft characteristics in presentations to the Commandant of the Marine Corps
, Chief Bureau of Aeronautics and Chief of Naval Operations. Magruder participated in the planning, preparation and coordination of the Aviation portion of the Marine Corps overall budgets.
July 1954 to June 1955, Colonel Magruder attended and graduated from the National War College
. His thesis, "Nuclear Weapons — An Instrument of National Policy" was classified and, because of its strategic implications, was not released for publication.
at Naval Air Station Atsugi
, Japan. This was the largest Marine Aircraft Group in the Far East and consisted of five fighter attack squadrons, one GCI radar station, one air base squadron
for the maintenance and operation of group facilities and heavy group level aircraft maintenance, along with one headquarters squadron. The group consisted of 1860 officers and men and 126 aircraft. MAG-11 conducted continuous round the clock air operations providing for the air-borne defense of Japan and maintained readiness for immediate movement of all aircraft to include all classes of material and supplies to sustain the Group for 90 days combat to any area of the Far East. Duties included maintaining combat readiness in the on-site storing and employing of tactical nuclear weapon
s and conventional weapon
s in coordination with Commanding General U.S. Air Forces, Japan. Magruder's MAG-11 also provided secure basing facilities for the Central Intelligence Agency
's U2 program
.
From August 1956 to June 1958 he assigned Assistant Chief of Staff G-4 (logistics), Fleet Marine Force, Pacific
located at Camp H. M. Smith
, Oahu
, Hawaii
. This command encompassed the largest single command in the Marine Corps—2 Marine Divisions, 1 brigade, and 2 aircraft wings consisting of a total of 65,000 officers and men and 800 aircraft, with units located on the West Coast, Hawaii, Japan and Okinawa. Soon thereafter Magruder became head of the General Staff Section, G-4. Magruder coordinated and supervised the continuous flow of all classes of material for the training and operations of all elements of the command.
His next assignment was from June 1958 through June 1960 Assigned Commanding Officer of Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay
, Hawaii. The Air Station encompassed the greater part of the Kaneohe Peninsula—3000 acres (12.1 km²) of industrial and barracks buildings to include 5 large aircraft hangars, extensive bomb and ordinance storage including tactical nuclear weapons and air-sea rescue
facilities.
On June 12, 1960 Colonel Magruder prepared for and was host of President Eisenhower
and his staff of 62 VIP’s. (The President originally planned a three day visit to MCAS Kaneohe Bay; however it was extended to five days when riots in Japan force the cancellation of that State visit
.)
In August 1960 Magruder was assigned as Director, 12th Marine Corps Reserve, Recruitment District headquartered in San Francisco, CA. This posting included responsibility for training, operational readiness, logistical support, preparation and justification of budgets and operation of District Offices and Branch Offices, 42 Reserve Units of company and battalion size, 5 recruiting stations and 81 substations located throughout the District encompassing 9 Western States—400 officers and 10,000 men. This command ranked 6th out of 7 districts when Colonel Magruder assumed Command. Within 8 months this District placed 1st among all U.S. Districts in recruiting and retention of Marine Corps personnel and force readiness.
On August 31, 1961, Colonel Magruder retired from active duty after 26 years of service in the United States Marine Corps.
in Aurora, Colorado
. On August 1, 1963, Magruder became Executive Vice President of Peoples Bank and Trust in Aurora and on April 29, 1964 he became president of his own corporation, The M’s Inc., with the purchase of his first McDonald’s Franchise in Grand Junction, Colorado
. Within 15 years, Magruder placed all five of his sons in McDonald’s Franchises in Colorado, Arizona
and California
.
Magruder continued to be highly involved in national affairs with communications and associations with military and civil authorities on the highest levels. Colonel Magruder served on a number of ‘national policy boards’ and organizations, and was a life long Rotarian. Colonel Marion M. “Black Mac” Magruder, USMC (Ret.) peacefully died on his 86th birthday, June 27, 1997 in Paradise Valley, Arizona
.
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
and a pioneer in Radar Intercept Night Fighting. He was the first commanding officer of Marine squadron VMF(N)-533
VMFA(AW)-533
Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 553 is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. Also known as the "Hawks", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 31 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing...
, then known as "Black Mac's Killers"http://acepilots.com/usmc/usmc_vmfn533.html, and led that squadron during the Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Early years and beginning of military career
Magruder was born to William Marion Magruder and Augusta Tong Magruder of 456 Rose Lane, Lexington, KentuckyLexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
. He was the third of four children, also including Aliene, Eldon and Jane Magruder. He graduated as an Honor Graduate from the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
on May 22, 1936 with an AB-Psychology. He was the undefeated University of Kentucky Golden Gloves
Golden Gloves
The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States. The Golden Gloves is often the term used to refer to the National Golden Gloves competition, but it also can represent several other amateur tournaments, including regional golden gloves...
Welter Weight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
Boxing Champion, a member of the Sword and Scabbard Military Fraternity and member of Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega is a secret American leadership and social fraternity.The Fraternity has more than 250 active and inactive chapters, more than 200,000 initiates, and over 7,000 active undergraduate members. The 200,000th member was initiated in early 2009...
fraternity. The Governor of Kentucky commissioned him Kentucky colonel
Kentucky colonel
Kentucky colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Commissions for Kentucky colonels are given by the Governor and the Secretary of State to individuals in recognition of noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to a community, state or the nation...
and the Mayor of Lexington presented him with the ‘Key to the City of Lexington.’
After graduating from the Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a college-based, officer commissioning program, predominantly in the United States. It is designed as a college elective that focuses on leadership development, problem solving, strategic planning, and professional ethics.The U.S...
program at the University of Kentucky, Magruder accepted an officers commission in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
on July 1, 1936 becoming a 2nd Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
.
On July 5, 1938, Magruder reported for Flight School
Flight training
Flight training is a course of study used when learning to pilot an aircraft. The overall purpose of primary and intermediate flight training is the acquisition and honing of basic airmanship skills....
at Naval Air Station Pensacola
Naval Air Station Pensacola
Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola , "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United States Navy base located next to Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. After graduating as Naval Aviator
Naval Aviator
A United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
6008, he was promoted to First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
.
World War II
On February 6, 1943, Major Magruder was deployed to EnglandGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
for a 3 month stint to learn as much as possible about Radar Intercept Night Fighting from the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF). The United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
critically needed to establish effective night fighting capabilities for the Pacific Campaign
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
. Magruder was assigned to develop the U.S. Naval Radar Intercept Doctrine that entailed extensive modification of the British system into an almost totally different operational syllabus. Admiral John S. McCain, Sr.
John S. McCain, Sr.
John Sidney "Slew" McCain Sr. was a U.S. Navy admiral. He held several command assignments during the Pacific campaign of World War II....
, then Director Aircraft Pacific, required a single pilot, single engine aircraft that was capable of operating from a carrier while the British utilized a two seat fighter that employed an onboard radar operator. Magruder reconfigured the system to include a remote ground control intercept
Ground-controlled interception
Ground-controlled interception an air defense tactic whereby one or more radar stations are linked to a command communications centre which guides interceptor aircraft to an airborne target. This tactic was pioneered during World War II by the Royal Air Force with the Luftwaffe to follow closely...
(GCI) radar operator to coordinate exclusively with his designated pilot to vector him near enough for the pilot’s own short range radar to locate the target. In June 1943 Magruder was assigned as Fight Fighter
Night fighter
A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...
Training Officer at the newly formed Marine Aircraft Group 53 (MAG-53) at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, USA, in the eastern part of the state...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
On October 1, 1943 Magruder became the Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the newly formed VMF(N)-533 which eventually took the nickname Black Mac’s Killers. VMF(N)-533 was the first Marine Corps squadron to receive the F6F-3(N) Hellcat
F6F Hellcat
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a carrier-based fighter aircraft developed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat in United States Navy service. Although the F6F resembled the Wildcat, it was a completely new design powered by a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800. Some tagged it as the "Wildcat's big...
night fighter.
After a difficult radar intercept training program the squadron deployed to Eniwetok Atoll on May 6, 1944 to take over the night defense of the area. On July 6, 1944 the Magruder's squadron also set up a rotating contingent on Roi Island and Kwajalein Atoll for their night defense. On November 30, 1944 "Black Mac's Killers" moved its base of operations from Eniwetok to Engebi.
On May 7, 1945, VMF(N)-533, on three days notice, was ordered to deploy to Yontan Airfield
Yontan Airfield
Yontan Airfield is a former military airfield on Okinawa, located near the village of Sobe on the Okinawa western coast. It was closed and turned over to the Japanese government in 1972...
on Okinawa to shore up sagging night defenses during the Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
. With just a skeleton crew of fifteen pilots flying their fifteen Hellcats, and an extra thirteen officers (8 extra pilots, Flight Surgeon
Flight surgeon
A flight surgeon is a military medical officer assigned to duties in the clinical field variously known as aviation medicine, aerospace medicine, or flight medicine...
, Flight Director
Flight controller
Flight controllers are personnel who aid in the operations of a space flight, working in Mission Control Centers such as NASA's Mission Control Center, or ESA's Operations Center. Flight controllers sit at computer consoles and use telemetry to monitor in real time various technical aspects of a...
with 3 key department heads) along with 57 enlisted men flying in 5 transport aircraft
Cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers. They are usually devoid of passenger amenities, and generally feature one or more large doors for the loading and unloading of cargo...
provided VMFR 252, with whatever spare parts and gear that could be squeezed onboard, they departed on the longest over water flight of single engine fighters in WWII. The remainder of the squadron personnel and equipment followed by sea on LST’s and would not link up again with this skeleton crew for more than a month.
Arriving on May 10, 1945 at Yontan Field, Okinawa, the squadron was operational in 36 hours. On June 15, 1945 the squadron moved operations from Yontan Air Field to Charlie Air Strip, Ie Shima
Iejima
Ie jima is an island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, lying a few kilometers off the Motobu Peninsula of Okinawa Honto, Okinawa Islands. It measures 20 km around and has a population of 5,055...
where they joined the rest of the squadron personnel and served out the war. In spite of the fact VMF(N)-533 arrived 40 days after the campaign for Okinawa began, and the weather was terrible throughout, Black Mac’s Killers registered 35 enemy aircraft victories and 1 probable—all Radar Intercepts, which was almost as many aircraft destroyed as all three other night fighter squadrons on Okinawa, combined. VMF(N)-533 was the top scoring Night Fighter Squadron of the Pacific Theatre in WWII. VMF(N) 533 had the best safety record and the highest combat ready rate for any operational squadron in the Pacific. In 15 months deployment overseas, the ‘Killers’ logged over 11,000 flight hours. For this action, the squadron were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation
The Presidential Unit Citation is a senior unit award granted to military units which have performed an extremely meritorious or heroic act, usually in the face of an armed enemy...
. July 8, 1945 Lieutenant Colonel Magruder transferred command of VMF(N)-533 to his Executive Officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
and returned to the United States for a War Bond Tour
War bond
War bonds are debt securities issued by a government for the purpose of financing military operations during times of war. War bonds generate capital for the government and make civilians feel involved in their national militaries...
.
Shortly after V-J Day
Victory over Japan Day
Victory over Japan Day is a name chosen for the day on which the Surrender of Japan occurred, effectively ending World War II, and subsequent anniversaries of that event...
, September 1945, Magruder became the Commanding Officer of Marine Aircraft Group 53 (a fully integrated Night Fighter Command) at Marine Corps Air Station Eagle Mountain Lake
Marine Corps Air Station Eagle Mountain Lake
Marine Corps Air Station Eagle Mountain Lake was a United States Marine Corps air station that was located northwest of Fort Worth, Texas during World War II. Commissioned on December 1, 1942 the air station was originally supposed to be the home of the Marine Corps glider program...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The group consisted of seven tactical squadrons, one service and support squadron, one headquarters squadron, one ground control radar squadron and one ground control approach radar unit. This totalled nearly 2400 officers and men with 146 aircraft. At the time this was the largest aircraft group in Marine Aviation. In February 1946, MAG-53 moved operations back to MCAS Cherry Point.
Education and joint billets
July 1947 to July 1948 Lieutenant Colonel Magruder attended and graduated from the Air War CollegeAir War College
The Air War College is a part of the United States Air Force's Air University, headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Air University's higher headquarters is Air Education and Training Command headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The Air War...
, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force installation under the Air Education and Training Command . The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, US. It was named in honor of Second Lieutenant William C...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. He co-wrote the thesis "The Impact and Role of Missiles In a War During the Foreseeable Future 5–10 Years." From August 1948 to May 1950, Magruder was assigned as instructor, Aviation Section Marine Corps Schools, Senior Course, Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico, sometimes abbreviated MCB Quantico, is a major United States Marine Corps training base located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly in southern Prince William County, northern Stafford County, and southeastern Fauquier County...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
In June 1950 Lieutenant Colonel Magruder was assigned to Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
of Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
Europe, Heidelberg, Germany
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
. Magruder was the only Marine Officer assigned to this Theatre Command. For this assignment Admiral Forrest Sherman
Forrest Sherman
Forrest Percival Sherman was an admiral in the United States Navy and the youngest man to serve as Chief of Naval Operations until Admiral Elmo Zumwalt became Chief of Naval Operations in 1970....
, Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
, after interviewing numerous senior Marine officers, personally selected Magruder for this special duty. Magruder became assistant head of the Plans Branch of the Operations, Plans, Organization and Training Division of the European Unified Command. Responsibilities included: Preparation and presentation of many U.S. “Eyes Only” plans to be placed into operation in the event of emergency and/or war. As a member of the Senior U.S. Command in Europe Magruder was responsible for effecting coordination for complete planning with all other major commands in Europe as well as many high level civil authorities
Civil authority
Civil authority is that apparatus of the state other than its military units that enforces law and order. It is also used to distinguish between religious authority and secular authority...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and England. On January 1, 1951 Lieutenant Colonel Magruder was promoted to Colonel.
July 1952 Colonel Magruder was assigned Assistant Head of Plans and Operations Branch, Division of Aviation Headquarters, Marine Corps, Washington D.C. Responsibilities required preparation and presentation of many plans and staff studies for the training and operations of all Marine Corps Aviation—and determining operational requirements for aircraft and new aircraft characteristics in presentations to the Commandant of the Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
, Chief Bureau of Aeronautics and Chief of Naval Operations. Magruder participated in the planning, preparation and coordination of the Aviation portion of the Marine Corps overall budgets.
July 1954 to June 1955, Colonel Magruder attended and graduated from the National War College
National War College
The National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
. His thesis, "Nuclear Weapons — An Instrument of National Policy" was classified and, because of its strategic implications, was not released for publication.
Back to the Fleet
From July 1955 tthrough June 1956 Colonel Magruder commanded Marine Aircraft Group 11Marine Aircraft Group 11
Marine Aircraft Group 11 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of three F/A-18C squadrons, three F/A-18D squadrons, one fleet readiness squadron, one KC-130 tactical aerial refueling squadron and a maintenance and...
at Naval Air Station Atsugi
Naval Air Facility Atsugi
is a naval air base located in the cities of Yamato and Ayase in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is the largest United States Navy air base in the Pacific Ocean and houses the squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 5, which deploys with the aircraft carrier...
, Japan. This was the largest Marine Aircraft Group in the Far East and consisted of five fighter attack squadrons, one GCI radar station, one air base squadron
Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11
Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11 is an aviation logistics support unit of the United States Marine Corps, part of Marine Aircraft Group 11 , currently based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and also part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.-Early years:The unit was activated on December 1921,...
for the maintenance and operation of group facilities and heavy group level aircraft maintenance, along with one headquarters squadron. The group consisted of 1860 officers and men and 126 aircraft. MAG-11 conducted continuous round the clock air operations providing for the air-borne defense of Japan and maintained readiness for immediate movement of all aircraft to include all classes of material and supplies to sustain the Group for 90 days combat to any area of the Far East. Duties included maintaining combat readiness in the on-site storing and employing of tactical nuclear weapon
Tactical nuclear weapon
A tactical nuclear weapon refers to a nuclear weapon which is designed to be used on a battlefield in military situations. This is as opposed to strategic nuclear weapons which are designed to menace large populations, to damage the enemy's ability to wage war, or for general deterrence...
s and conventional weapon
Conventional weapon
The terms conventional weapons or conventional arms generally refer to weapons that are in relatively wide use that are not weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Conventional weapons include small arms and light weapons, sea and land mines, as well as ...
s in coordination with Commanding General U.S. Air Forces, Japan. Magruder's MAG-11 also provided secure basing facilities for the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
's U2 program
Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
.
From August 1956 to June 1958 he assigned Assistant Chief of Staff G-4 (logistics), Fleet Marine Force, Pacific
Fleet Marine Force, Pacific
The United States Fleet Marine Force, Pacific is the largest maritime landing force in the world. Its units are spread across the Pacific Ocean and reports to the United States Pacific Command. It is headquartered at MCB Camp H. M...
located at Camp H. M. Smith
Camp H. M. Smith
Camp H. M. Smith is a United States Marine Corps installation in the Hawaiian town of Aiea on the island of Oahu, near the community of Halawa Heights...
, Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. This command encompassed the largest single command in the Marine Corps—2 Marine Divisions, 1 brigade, and 2 aircraft wings consisting of a total of 65,000 officers and men and 800 aircraft, with units located on the West Coast, Hawaii, Japan and Okinawa. Soon thereafter Magruder became head of the General Staff Section, G-4. Magruder coordinated and supervised the continuous flow of all classes of material for the training and operations of all elements of the command.
His next assignment was from June 1958 through June 1960 Assigned Commanding Officer of Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay
Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay
Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay or MCAS Kaneohe Bay is a United States Marine Corps airfield located within the Marine Corps Base Hawaii complex, formerly known as Marine Corps Air Facility Kaneohe Bay or Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay...
, Hawaii. The Air Station encompassed the greater part of the Kaneohe Peninsula—3000 acres (12.1 km²) of industrial and barracks buildings to include 5 large aircraft hangars, extensive bomb and ordinance storage including tactical nuclear weapons and air-sea rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
facilities.
On June 12, 1960 Colonel Magruder prepared for and was host of President Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
and his staff of 62 VIP’s. (The President originally planned a three day visit to MCAS Kaneohe Bay; however it was extended to five days when riots in Japan force the cancellation of that State visit
State visit
A state visit is a formal visit by a foreign head of state to another nation, at the invitation of that nation's head of state. State visits are the highest form of diplomatic contact between two nations, and are marked by ceremonial pomp and diplomatic protocol. In parliamentary democracies, heads...
.)
In August 1960 Magruder was assigned as Director, 12th Marine Corps Reserve, Recruitment District headquartered in San Francisco, CA. This posting included responsibility for training, operational readiness, logistical support, preparation and justification of budgets and operation of District Offices and Branch Offices, 42 Reserve Units of company and battalion size, 5 recruiting stations and 81 substations located throughout the District encompassing 9 Western States—400 officers and 10,000 men. This command ranked 6th out of 7 districts when Colonel Magruder assumed Command. Within 8 months this District placed 1st among all U.S. Districts in recruiting and retention of Marine Corps personnel and force readiness.
On August 31, 1961, Colonel Magruder retired from active duty after 26 years of service in the United States Marine Corps.
Later life
On January 1, 1962 Magruder began his civilian career becoming the Assistant to the President of Stanley AviationStanley Aviation
Stanley Aviation is an aerospace company started by Robert M Stanley, the aviation pioneer, in Buffalo, New York in 1948.The company has since acquired several other companies and has been most recently acquired by Eaton Corporation....
in Aurora, Colorado
Aurora, Colorado
City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality spanning Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties in Colorado. Aurora is an eastern suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area . The city is the third most populous city in the Colorado and the 56th most populous city in the...
. On August 1, 1963, Magruder became Executive Vice President of Peoples Bank and Trust in Aurora and on April 29, 1964 he became president of his own corporation, The M’s Inc., with the purchase of his first McDonald’s Franchise in Grand Junction, Colorado
Grand Junction, Colorado
The City of Grand Junction is the largest city in western Colorado. It is a city with a council–manager government form that is the county seat and the most populous city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Grand Junction is situated west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. As...
. Within 15 years, Magruder placed all five of his sons in McDonald’s Franchises in Colorado, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Magruder continued to be highly involved in national affairs with communications and associations with military and civil authorities on the highest levels. Colonel Magruder served on a number of ‘national policy boards’ and organizations, and was a life long Rotarian. Colonel Marion M. “Black Mac” Magruder, USMC (Ret.) peacefully died on his 86th birthday, June 27, 1997 in Paradise Valley, Arizona
Paradise Valley, Arizona
Paradise Valley is a small, affluent town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2005 Census Bureau, the population of the town was 14,558. Despite the town's relatively small area and population compared to other municipalities in the Phoenix metropolitan area, Paradise...
.
Personal life
On July 2, 1938, Marion Magruder married Martha Ann Kelly of Lexington, Kentucky at St. Paul’s Catholic Church of Lexington. They had five children:- Marion Milton Magruder, Jr (born April 29, 1940)
- Michael David Magruder (born February 3, 1942)
- Mark Allen Magruder (born June 26, 1946)
- Marshall kelly Magruder (born January 8, 1950)
- Merritt Skye Magruder (born June 5, 1960)
See also
- United States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....