REESE S. MCCAULEY, JR., 1LT, USAF

Reese McCauley, Jr. '53

Date of birth: February 17, 1931

Date of death: April 22, 1957

Age: 26

Lucky Bag

From the 1953 Lucky Bag:

REESE STEPHENS McCAULEY, JR.

Tyler, Texas

"MIDS! Need pliers, screwdrivers, good advice, or even a little nostalgic Texas drawling? Go around to Mac's room and feast your eyes on the array of luscious beauties posted on his locker door while you're borrowing! Cigarettes on short-term loans to upperclassmen." Mac's real claim to fame was his ability to lie peacefully on his back during the long winter months and declare purposefully that, "Tomorrow I begin to work out!" His ability to make friends anywhere and that twanging of his larynx in a song of lonesome Texas doggies made him the sixth company darling. Texas belonged to Mac, just as Mac belonged to Texas.

REESE STEPHENS McCAULEY, JR.

Tyler, Texas

"MIDS! Need pliers, screwdrivers, good advice, or even a little nostalgic Texas drawling? Go around to Mac's room and feast your eyes on the array of luscious beauties posted on his locker door while you're borrowing! Cigarettes on short-term loans to upperclassmen." Mac's real claim to fame was his ability to lie peacefully on his back during the long winter months and declare purposefully that, "Tomorrow I begin to work out!" His ability to make friends anywhere and that twanging of his larynx in a song of lonesome Texas doggies made him the sixth company darling. Texas belonged to Mac, just as Mac belonged to Texas.

Loss

Reese was lost on April 22, 1957 when the H-19 he was aboard crashed into Tenguiwa Mountain, near Ichinose, Yahata City [now Yahata Higashi Ward and Yahata Nishi Ward, Kitakyuushuu City], Fukuoka Prefecture, "because of heavy fog and rain." The helicopter was engaged in search and rescue operations for an airplane that crashed earlier that day.

He was a member of the 39th Air Rescue Squadron and was unmarried. (Information from June 1957 issue of Shipmate.)

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Born in Houston, he moved to Tyler in 1937 and graduated from John Tyler High School in 1948 where he won the Tyler Rotary Award. Known as Stephen, he was Homeroom President, Vice-President; B2 Math Club; Science Club; Student Council; Boys United; Blue Guard.
He attended Virginia Military Institute in 1949. In July 1955, he received his wings as a jet pilot; and in October, he received a certificate as a helicopter pilot.
His parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. S. McCauley, Sr., had received word that he would return in May to be an Air Force instructor at Virginia Military Institute. He was also survived by a brother, Capt. C. L. McCauley with the Air Force in France, and his grandparents, Maj. And Mrs. Cleyburn McCauley of Houston.

He is buried in Texas.