San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Brig Gen James Russell McCarthy, USAF (Ret)
September 3, 1930 - February 15, 2024
Brig Gen James Russell McCarthy, USAF (Ret) of San Antonio, Texas died peacefully at Blue Skies of Texas on Thursday, February 15, 2024. He was 93 years old. Known to friends and colleagues as Russ, he was comforted in his final passing by the presence of his wife, family, and dear friends in the days that preceded. Russ McCarthy was a tireless champion of the “unsung heroes” of the military. This was his life mission as a leader, combat veteran, and patriot.
General McCarthy was born in 1930 in Memphis, TN to Alphonsus Melvin and Susan Yarrish McCarthy. He graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1952 with a BS in Civil Engineering. He earned his master’s degree in business management from George Washington University in 1965, completed Air Command and Staff College in 1965, and graduated from the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, PA in 1970.
General McCarthy entered active duty in 1952 as a squadron maintenance officer at Eglin AFB, FL. In 1954, he graduated from pilot training, and then served as an instructor of nuclear physics at Randolph
AFB, TX, where he also had several flying assignments piloting B-17s, B-29s, and B-50s.
He completed radar navigator’s school for pilots in 1956 and was then assigned to the 67th Bombardment Squadron at Chennault AFB, LA. He served there as radar navigator, B-47 aircraft commander, and wing maintenance plans officer until 1960.
From 1960 to 1963, General McCarthy served at Dow AFB, ME as a B-52 aircraft commander and wing director of safety. In 1963 he served as aide-de-camp to the commander of eighth Air Force, Westover AFB,
MA. After graduation from Air Command and Staff College in 1965, he was assigned to the 309th Air Commando Squadron Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, as a C-123 pilot and operations officer. He returned to the United States in 1966, where he served as a plans and programs officer at the Pentagon, Washington, DC.
General McCarthy returned to Vietnam for his second combat tour in 1968. He served as a squadron commander, first in Saigon and later at Nha Trang Air Base. After graduating from Army War College in 1970, he was assigned to the Joint Chiefs of
Staff in the Pentagon as a staff assistant for arms control. In 1971, he was assigned as the Deputy Commander of Operations 416th Bombardment Wing, Griffiss AFB, NY. While on assignment, he was sent on temporary duty to Southeast Asia as part of the Operation Bullet Shot, where he served as a KC-135 squadron commander, assistant deputy chief of staff for operations, and commander of the 310th Ari Refueling Wing. He was assigned as Vice Commander, 43rd Strategic Wing at Andersen AFB, Guam in September
1972 and became Wing Commander in December 1972. As Wing Commander, he was awarded the Air Force Cross for leading his wing in Operation LINEBACKER II – the largest B-52 raid in the history of SAC against heavily defended targets in Hanoi, Vietnam.
In June 1973, General McCarthy became the commander of the 303rd Consolidated Maintenance Wing. Following the deactivation of the 303rd, General McCarthy eventually moved to Offutt AFB, NE as assistant deputy chief of staff, personnel at Strategic
Air Command headquarters. General McCarthy became commander of the 42nd Air Division at Blytheville AFB, AR in 1975.
He retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1980 as a command pilot and radar navigator with more than 7000 hours flying experience. He flew more than 1200 combat missions in Southeast Asia in such diverse aircraft as the B-52, F-4E, KC-135, C-130, and C-123.
For the last twenty-five years General McCarthy was involved in many veterans and service organizations in San Antonio. He took great pride in his associations with the Legion of Valor, Order of Daedalians, Retired Officers Association, Rotary Club, Society of the Strategic Air Command, B-52 Association, Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association, and the Air Commando Association. In his spare time, he was an avid fisherman, coin collector, and bridge player.
He was a founding member of the Legion of Valor, San Antonio Chapter. The Legion of Valor is the oldest Veteran Service Organization in the nation dating continuously from 1890. Its members are recipients of the nation’s two highest honors for valor in combat – the Congressional Medal of Honor and the individual armed services awards for extraordinary heroism in combat – the Navy Cross, the Army Distinguished Service Cross, and the Air Force Cross. In addition to the Air Force Cross, General McCarthy’s military decorations and awards include the Legion of
Merit with one oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster, and Air Medal with 22 oak leaf clusters.
Russ was a loving husband and family man. He is survived by his wife Patricia A. McCarthy of 23 years, his son James R. McCarthy, Jr., daughter Patricia Sue Matthai, grandson Brian Lorenz Monohon, Russ’s sister Marilyn McCarthy Garcia, as well as many children and grandchildren by marriage.
MEMORIAL SERVICE FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2024
1:00 P.M.
CELEBRATION OF LIFE RECEPTION FRIDAY, MARCH 15,
2024
2:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. ROAD RUNNER
LOUNGE
Interment will occur at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC at a date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.