Lt Col James E. McInerney Jr. and Capt Fred Shannon at Korat Royal Thai AFB, Thailand during the Vietnam War in 1967 (Air Force Photo)
Major General (Retired) James E. McInerney Jr. passed away at the age of 84 years old on October 14, 2014 at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Washington D.C. A combat veteran of the Vietnam War, McInerney earned the Air Force Cross in 1967 while serving with a Seventh Air Force assigned unit over North Vietnam. During 1953-1954, he also served as a pilot with the 8th Fighter Wing (then 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing) in Korea.
James E. McInerney Jr. was born on August 3, 1930 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The son of a career U.S. Army officer, McInerney grew up within the military community living at a variety of bases across the United States. He graduated from the Georgia Military Academy in 1947 and enlisted in the U.S. Army where he served in the parachute infantry until 1948 when he was accepted to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He graduated four years later in 1952 and accepted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He was one of four brothers from the McInerney family to eventually graduate from West Point.
McInerney earned his pilot’s wings the following year and shipped overseas to Korea in December 1953 joining the 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing. He served with the 80th Fighter Squadron in Korea until September 1954 when he transferred to the 35th Fighter Squadron as the 8th moved operations from Korea to Japan. On May 10, 1955, nearly 2 years after the Korean Armistice went into effect, McInerney was credited with shooting down a Chinese MiG off of the Korean coast when he downed a Communist fighter jet which took “hostile and aggressive” action towards a reconnaissance plane he was escorting. He returned to the United States in October 1955 and over the next 12 years he served in a variety of positions in the United States and in Europe.
Lieutenant Colonel McInerney shipped overseas to Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War in March 1967 joining the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing. The 388th was attached to Seventh Air Force. During the Vietnam War, the 388th was attached to Seventh Air Force between 1966 and 1973. McInerney assumed command of the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Korat Royal Thai AFB, Thailand on June 15, 1967. McInerney left the 13th three and a half months later on October 1st when he assumed command of the 44th Fighter Squadron also at Korat. From Thailand, McInerney was responsible for commanding the F-105 Thunderchief units which Lt Col James E. McInerney Jr. and Capt Fred Shannon at Korat Royal Thai AFB, Thailand during the Vietnam War in 1967 (Air Force Photo) conducted “Wild Weasel” missions by using their own aircraft as “bait” in order to seek out and destroy enemy air defenses such as antiaircraft artillery, surface-to-air missile, and radar sites which were protecting potential targets for American aircraft. In short, the job of the Wild Weasel was to clear the path for follow on strike forces.
On August 11, 1967, McInerney personally led a mission to suppress the antiaircraft defenses guarding the Paul Doumer Bridge which spanned the Red River in the North Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi. The bridge served as a central hub of North Vietnam’s railway network which passed on average nearly 30 trains a day along with many trucks carrying more than 6,000 tons of supplies to enemy forces in the south. McInerney, along with Captain Fred Shannon in the second seat as the Electronic Warfare Officer, led his Thunderchief flight through heavy antiaircraft artillery fire while personally dodging two enemy surface-air-missiles in order to hit the target. As a result of the Wild Weasel efforts, the accompanying strike aircraft were able to sever the bridge with none of the friendly aircraft being lost in the attack. For his efforts, McInerney was awarded the Air Force Cross.
His Air Force Cross citation reads in part: “Colonel McInerney displayed the highest degree of courageous leadership in destroying two missile sites and forcing the other four into sporadic operation. As a direct result of his actions, the strike force suffered no losses and imposed extensive damage to this vital target. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, Lieutenant Colonel McInerney reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”
His Air Force Cross was one of 5 awarded to Air Force Airmen during that mission representing the most number of high combat decorations awarded for a single mission since World War II. Captain Shannon also earned the award as did the commander of the 8th Fighter Wing, Colonel Robin Olds, who was leading an element of the follow on strike mission. Prior to this mission, during a span of eight days in May 1967, McInerney and Shannon also earned three Silver Stars while flying together.
Although he never fell victim to enemy fire during any of his 101 combat missions during the Vietnam War, due to mechanical problems McInerney was once forced to bail out over Laos while returning from a night mission over North Vietnam.. Approaching the ground, his parachute became hung up in a tree where McInerney was forced to remain hanging overnight. He was picked up by a rescue helicopter the next day.
McInerney left Southeast Asia in November 1967 joining Pacific Air Forces Headquarters. After attending the National War College in 1970 he served as commander of the 86th Tactical Fighter Wing and later the 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing between 1971 and 1973. In July 1973 he received promotion to Brigadier General serving as the Chief of the Air Force Section for the Joint U.S. Military Mission for Aid in Turkey. He returned to the Pentagon in August 1975, later serving as the Commandant of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort Lesley J. McNair. His final assignment came in January 1979 when became the Director of Programs, Deputy Chief of Staff Programs and Analysis, Headquarters U.S. Air Force.
McInerney retired at the rank of Major General on October 1, 1980, as a command pilot with more than 5,400 flying hours while being rated to fly 14 different aircraft. During his 33 year military career he earned the Air Force Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal, 3 Silver Stars, 7 Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, 2 Meritorious Service Medals, 18 Air Medals, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Republic of Korea Cheonsu Medal. He also earned the Parachutist Badge during his time in the Army.
Major General (Retired) James E. McInerney Jr.’s remains were interred on November 20, 2014 at the West Point Cemetery located at the U.S. Military Academy.
By Robert Vanderpool
8th Fighter Wing – 7th Air Force
