Michael Jerome McMahon

West Point, 1985

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Michael - Webelos Troop, Kailua, HI on December 21, 2004:

I would like to tell you about a very special person in my life. His name was Lt. Colonel Michael J. McMahon. He was born in Kentucky, and was raised in Hartford, Connecticut. He graduated from the United States Military Academy (West Point), just like his older brother. After he graduated from West Point, Lt. Col. McMahon was commissioned in the Army. A few years ago, the United States Army assigned Lt. Col. McMahon to Schofield Barracks. He moved to Kailua, Hawaii with his wife, Lt. Col. Jeanette McMahon, and their three children, Michael, Jr., Thomas and Ricky. Earlier this year, he was deployed to Afghanistan as the Squadron Commander of the 3rd Squadron, 4th Air Cavalry Regiment, Task Force Saber, Operation Enduring Freedom. Lt. Colonel McMahon died in an airplane crash on November 27, 2004, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and the day after he had sent me an email telling me he was sorry he hadn?t written his Scout friends for so long, but that he had just spent a busy three months somewhere (that sounded dangerous). He said he was alive, and it sounded like he was finally in a relatively ?safe? place, with email and postal service. He said he had collected a huge file of incredible pictures, which he was going to burn on a CD and send to the Scouts. Television and newspaper reports say that Lt. Col. McMahon was the highest ranking military member connected to Hawaii to be killed in the current war. The reports say he may even be one of the highest ranking American service members to be killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. But to me, he was the dad of my friend Thomas, who is my age, and goes to St John Vianney School, and my Scout Leader. I would like to tell you what I remember about him. First, I would like to describe his physical appearance. He was about 5?7?, with normal build, dark blonde hair and dark brown eyes. He had a great personality. Second, I would like to describe his personality. He was so happy and outgoing. He always had a big smile on his face, and he made everybody around him happy and smile when they saw him. Third, let me tell you what an inspiring person Lt. Colonel McMahon was, based on my experience in the short time I and the other Scouts had the honor to spend with him. When children spent any time around him, they would start to feel really confident about themselves. He made children feel that they could do anything too ? just like he felt he could. He was important to me because he inspired me to be the best that I could be. Lt. Col. McMahon was not only important to me, but to all of America. He made our country a safer place than it was before by reconstructing and disarming weapons in the most dangerous and remote regions of Afghanistan bordering Pakistan. It was an honor and a privilege for me to have met Lt. Col. McMahon. I will miss him. Michael, 6th Grader Webelos/Boy Scout

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