Alexander Ronald MacDonald

West Point, 1955

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Carl H. McNair, Jr. on December 25, 2009:

I had the privilege of first meeting Skip during Plebe Year, when I was the roommate of his older brother, Sandy Macdonald. In turn, during Plebe Christmas, their dad visited West Point and they introduced my family and me to their dad, then BG and later MG Macdonald, a distinguised Armor officer. He was the first General my family and I had ever met "unofficially." His dad was so proud of both Sandy and Skip and I could certainly understand why. They were both super cadets and destined for success at West Point. Unfortunately, Sandy was found in academics plebe year, but certainly gave it all he had. Skip and I later served together in the lst Cav Div in Korea, then in the Pentagon after Vietnam and I found him to be a dedicated tanker and consummate staff officer, with assignments carefully selected, such as the Office of the DA IG while I was in the Army Secretariat. A few years later while I was CG of the Army Aviation Center, I then met his son, John Macdonald, '79, a West Pointer and Armor Officer like Skip, one of a number of classmates' sons then attending flight training in my command. John was one of our most outstanding early leaders in the embryo Army Aviation Branch of 1983, holding increasingly responsible senior positions therein. Skip was immensely proud of John and John was equally proud of Skip and his grandfather - a family legacy within our Army. I am grateful for having known and served with three generations of the Macdonald family. May there be many more. Rest in peace, dear classmate, you have served our Nation and our Alma Mater with great distinction. Carl H. McNair, Jr. President, Class of 1955

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