John McClelland Elliott

Major John McClelland Elliott, USMC (ret)
Award winning Marine Corps aviation historian John McClelland Elliott, 101, died unexpectedly on 22 March 2025, just days before his 102nd birthday. Known as Jack to most, he was born on 9 April 1923 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The family made several moves in Canada before moving to Santa Barbara, California.
An interest in aviation was rather natural as Lockheed aircraft were first built in Santa Barbara and John Northropwas a near neighbor. One of the local airports (later to become Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara) was a frequent bicycle ride from Jack's childhood home. After graduation from high school in 1941, he became a tool and die maker's apprentice in a manufacturing jewelry business. As war clouds formed this business was closed down and Jack then went to work for the US Army maintaining hundreds of rifles and a bit of administrative work.
Jack enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in November 1942 and bootcamp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San DiegoHe later attended Aviation Ordnance School in Memphis, Tennessee. In his class graduation book, he said his ambition was to retire from the Marine Corps. Little did he know that twenty-four years later he would.
After Tennessee, he served with Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 341, deploying overseas in late 1943. As the war progressed, Jack served with his squadron at Efate, Green Island, Emaru, and in the Philippines until March 1945 when he departed the Pacific for California, from where he was eventually discharged at war's end.
After the war's end, Jack met Helen Giles while at home in Santa Barbara. He reenlisted in December 1946, and spent the next eight years rising through the enlisted ranks. In 1952, as a Master Sergeant, Jack deployed to Korea and served as the Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of Wing Ordnance for the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in Korea. Upon completion of his tour in Korea, Jack returned to the United States and was subsequently commissioned as a second lieutenant in spring 1953. A few months later, on 26 September that same year, he and Helen were married.
Through the 1950s, the couple moved from duty station to duty station-Quantico, Miami, Japan, and San Diego. In 1965, with events heating up in Vietnam, Jack was deployed to Chu Lai, Republic of Vietnam, to serve as the Marine Aircraft Group 12 ordnance officer. He returned home to Helen in the spring of 1966 and put in his retirement papers. Jack retired on 30 June 1966 as a major after 24 years of service, fulfilling the ambition he set for himself as a twenty year old during World War II.
Barely a month into retirement, Jack joined the staff of the National Armed Forces Museum Advisory Board of the Smithsonian which was attempting to create the National Armed Forces Museum on the National Mall. Jack worked to collect macro artifacts for the museum such as the Atomic Cannon, the last Navy P5M flying boat, tracked vehicles and more. When the museum was ultimately canceled, he then spent the next two years finding homes in other museums for all the artifacts that had been collected. Some of these artifacts would eventually find their homes with Marine Corps' various museums for which he had been volunteering for years.
After eighteen years with the Smithsonian, Jack was in the process of retiring when he was offered the job of assistant naval aviation historian. As he had been working with this office in his spare time for a number of years, he lost no time and accepted the position. Without a college degree, but many years of practical experience and many historical figures in Marine aviation as dear friends, Jack was a historian of the highest caliber.
Jack retired in 1990 after 47 total years of service and continued to give of his time, knowledge, and expertise by volunteering for the National Museum of the Marine Corps. He continued to inspire and educate up-and-coming historians and curators, as well as research and write on Marine aviation through the golden years with Helen.
Unfortunately, he lost Helen on 19 February 2021 due to COVID. However, he continued volunteering and writing; his last book Marine Aviation at Quantico 1918-1941 was completed after his 100th birthday. Even at 101, he continued to contemplate additional books that needed to be written, and encouraged other historians in their research and writing of their projects.
He was predeceased by his parents Robert and Annie, his brothers Doug and Bill, and his Helen. He is survived by his beloved cats Baxter and Chloe, and more treasured friends than one person could ever count.
A viewing will be held at Mountcastle Turch Funeral Home, 4143 Dale Boulevard, Dale City, VA 22193 on Thursday, 1 May 2025, from 6 pm to 8 pm.
A private memorial service will be held at the National Museum of the Marine Corps Chapel on 2 May 2025 at 11 am followed by burial at the Quantico National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your local SPCA or the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.