Alexander S. MacKenzie

MacKENZIE

COLONEL ALEXANDER S. MacKENZIE

Colonel Alexander S. MacKenzie, a retired Air Force officer, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 4, 2006, at his home in Alexandria, of natural causes. Colonel MacKenzie was 84 years of age.

Colonel MacKenzie was born in Polo, Illinois, and spent most of his younger years in Chicago, Illinois. He entered the Army Air Corps in 1942 as an Aviation Cadet and received his Pilot Wings and commission as Second Lieutenant in February 1943. He flew various World War II aircraft and in 1944 flew heavy bombers with the 320th Bomb Squadron, 90th Bomb Group [H], the highly regarded "Jolly Rogers", in the Southeast Pacific Theatre. He later commanded the 320th. He served two tours of duty in Japan, one during the US Occupation and the other during the Korean Conflict. In 1960, he graduated from the Air War College and was assigned to the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and then to Air Force Systems Command.

In 1965, he was an advisor to the Vietnamese Air Force at Than San Nhut, Saigon, Vietnam. His last assignment, from which he retired in 1973, was Headquarters, Air Force Systems Command.

His Honors include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal with Clusters and the Vietnam Air Offensive Medal.

For the past 46 years he has maintained a home in Alexandria, Virginia. His wife of forty-nine years, Loes M. MacKenzie, also a pilot in WWII, passed away in 1994. He is survived by his son, Alexander S. MacKenzie III of Arlington, Virginia, his sister Judith Marzano, of Palos Park, Illinois, his daughter-in-law Margaret MacKenzie and his two grandsons Alexander S. "Scott" MacKenzie IV and Michael Ross MacKenzie, also of Arlington, Virginia.Services will take place on Wednesday, December 6, 2006 at 11:00am at Ft. Myer Chapel with Full Military Honors. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery will follow. Arrangements by DEMAINE FUNERAL HOME.