USAF Major General Edward Alexander McGough, III

Edward Alexander McGough, III, USAF Major General, passed peacefully from this life on May 14, 2017, surrounded by his loving family.  He was an amazing, strong, kind and gentle man, who was truly cherished by all who knew him.

He is survived by his daughters, Sara Lendzion and husband, Dennis Lendzion, Ann McGough, Nancy McGough Green and husband, Sean Green, and Gail McGough-Madueña and husband, James Madueña; grandchildren, Pamela Sever, Alexandra Dyer and husband, Brandon Dyer, Brooke Irwin and husband, Daniel Irwin, Mara McGough-Madueña,  Alison McGough-Madueña and husband, Reid, Joel Green and wife, Deanna and James McGough-Madueña; and great-grandchildren, Alynna Dyer, Antony Dyer, Ainslie Madueña-McLean and Gavin Dyer.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Romaine and grandson, Lindsey Green.

General McGough was born in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1918. He graduated from Towson High School, Towson, Md., in 1936, and then served in the U.S. Navy from October 1936 to June 1939. He then entered the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., and graduated in January 1943 with a commission as second lieutenant. The January 1943 graduation was unique to his class due to WWII.  He attended the Army Air Corps Flying School during 1942 while a cadet at the academy, and in December 1942 he received his pilot wings at Columbus Army Air Forces Base, Miss. Subsequently, he received fighter pilot training on the West Coast.
He went with the 474th Fighter Group in January 1944 to the European Theater of Operations where he progressed from flight commander to squadron commander in a P-38 fighter aircraft organization. His service as a P-38 pilot included flights from England to France on D-Day.  Following this, he spent a short tour of duty in the Ninth Air Force headquarters as an operations officer.

He returned to the United States in August 1945, attended Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and then went to Washington, D.C., where he served from 1945 to 1947 as operations officer for the 33d Army Air Forces Base Unit, better known as the Army Air Forces Flight Services. As the operations officer, he programmed, planned and implemented the establishment of the Military Flight Service Centers throughout the United States.
General McGough attended Stanford University from September 1947 to May 1949 and received his master's degree in business administration. He next was assigned to the Officers' Assignment Branch, Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. In January 1951 he entered the Air Command and Staff School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. In May 1951 he went to Headquarters U.S. Air Force as a personnel assignment officer in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel.

In May 1953 he was assigned to the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing as commander of the 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron and as commander, moved the squadron from Clovis Air Force Base, N.M., to Hahn Air Base, Germany. In December 1954 he was made commander of the 36th Fighter Day Group at Bitburg, Germany.

While in Europe, he participated as captain of a gunnery team in the U.S. Air Forces in Europe gunnery meets and was twice selected as the outstanding captain. During this period, his group was the first USAFE organization to convert from F-86F to F-l00C aircraft.

In March 1957 General McGough was assigned to Headquarters Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va., as chief of the Fighter Division, Directorate of Requirements. In this capacity, he was instrumental in the continued development of the F-105 aircraft and other tactical fighter aircraft being considered as potential weapons for the tactical forces. From May 1958 to July 1960 he served as the deputy director for requirements.

General McGough next attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. In June 1961 he was assigned as commander of the 4510th Combat Crew Training Group at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. In September 1963 he became commander of the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing (F-105) at George Air Force Base, Calif. The 355th Wing was transferred to McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., during the summer of 1964 and during the move remained combat ready. He assumed command of the 835th Air Division at McConnell in June 1965.

In July 1966 General McGough went to Southeast Asia and was assigned as deputy director (out-of-country operations), Tactical Air Control Center, Headquarters Seventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces. In August 1967 he returned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force as deputy director of aerospace programs, Deputy Chief of Staff, Programs and Resources; and in March 1969 he became director, personnel planning, Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel. He assumed command in July 1970 of the Sixteenth Air Force (U.S. Air Forces in Europe) with headquarters at Torrejon Air Base, Spain, and remained there until being named deputy commandant of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in October 1972.

He was a command pilot. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster; Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster; Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters; Air Force Commendation Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem; the Republic of Vietnam Distinguished Service Order, 2d Class, and the Armed Forces Honor Medal, 1st Class; and the Grand Cross of the Order of Aeronautical Merit (Spain).

General McGough retired from the US Air Force in 1975.  He and Romaine resided in Placitas, NM from 1975 to 1996 when they relocated to Albuquerque. During his time in Placitas, he continued his lifelong commitment to service, working for family, community and state.  He was instrumental in supporting and developing the Placitas Volunteer Fire Department, including serving as President and obtaining funding to provide equipment and facilities.  He was active in Las Placitas Presbyterian Church where he served as an elder and in numerous capacities, including planning and construction of the new sanctuary in 1980.  In 1981, he ran for the position of State Senator with the NM State Legislature, canvassing his district door-to-door with his wife Romaine.  He was elected and served as State Senator from 1982 to 1986, assisting his constituents and colleagues, including planning and implementation of the NM State Permanent Fund.  He helped military veterans obtain their medical benefits and local students apply to military academies.  He was a serious golfer and was a member of the NM Senior Golf Association’s Team that went on to earn the State Championship. He was an avid reader who enjoyed topics from fiction to history.

The family would like to express our gratitude to his caregivers, Bernadette Hanway and Yolanda Diaz.  Yolanda in particular was our saving grace, caring for him for the last seven years of his life with loving kindness for him and all of us.

Friends may visit Tuesday, May 23, 2017, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at FRENCH – Wyoming in Albuquerque.  Services will be held Wednesday, May 24, 2017, 10:00 a.m., also at FRENCH – Wyoming, followed by a full military funeral at Santa Fe National Cemetery at 1:30 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the charity of your choice.

FRENCH – Wyoming

7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE

(505) 823-9400