Frank, "Black Mac" Mcleneon

[popasmoke]

Posted for Ted Read

I have been awaiting further info on Mac's passing. Tried to find
something on internet, but I was searching in wrong place. He was
living in Crossville, TN & I thought he had moved back to Michigan.

He died in the hospital in Crossville on Friday, 7 Apr. Probably
pneumonia. His widow had him cremated and held a service in Crossville
at 3:00 PM today. His brothers in Michigan want to hold a memorial
service in his hometown of Gibraltar, MI, but have made no definite
plans yet. I will pass on more when I get it. I hope to locate some
obit info soon.

As most of you know, I worked for Mac in both HMM 261 and HMX. He was
one of my idols. After HMX, we went separate ways. He wound up back
in Viet Nam as CO of a KC-130 squadron (VMGR-252, I think). What I
didn't know was that he returned to Viet Nam again as CO of ProvMag-39
for the final evacuation of US Forces in 1975. Three of his squadron
commanders on that operation were Herb Fix, Jim Bolton and "Weasel"
Gentry. (I found that info on an Ohio State University web site under
the title, "The Bitter End"). His last tour before retiring was as CO
MARTD Glenview. After retiring he held jobs flying H-3's in Saudi
Arabia and Florida/Bahamas for at least 20 more years.

More when I get it. S/F, Ted

[Jim Kizer]

So Sorry to hear of Mac's passing. He was CO, MAG 36 at Futema in '74 and '75. Larry Whelan was his XO. When the balloon went up I was CO 165 and at sea with the ARG. Jim Bolton came out with the '53 squadron. Mac formed ProvMag 39, the "Gravotnic". We became the Aviation Element, Col. Al Gray had the Ground Element and BGen Dick Carey was overall Cdr. Herb Fix brought a '53 Squadron out from Hawaii with Jack McCabe as XO. Larry stayed back in Okinawa as Mag 36. Mac was the greatest CO I've ever served under. When I took over '165 Mac said," its your Squadron, not mine, run it like you want to and call me if you need me." There was NO micro management. Whata Guy. So Sorry, so sad.

Jim Kizer

[popasmoke]

Helen has promised to write an obit for Mac, but I don't know when or
if it come out.
Mac was born in Gibraltar, MI in 1927 and enlisted in the USMC as a
teenager. He was a gunner on a Marine TBF, Avenger during WWII. After
the war he went to flight school as a SSgt to become an NAP. While
there, the Marine Corps discontinued the NAP program. They gave him a
choice of becoming a NavCad or staying a SSgt, but leaving flight
school. He chose the NavCad option & was commissioned a reserve 2Lt
when he received his wings. He flew Corsairs in Korea. After the
Korean War was over, he got out & went back to Michigan to attend
college. Then he came back on active duty and got sent to helicopters.
His transition to C-130's came rather late in his career. As a C-130
pilot was CO of a WestPac squadron. Later, he was CO of MARTD
Glenview, another C-130 billet. The CO of ProvMag-39 tour was
apparently between C-130 tours. He stayed for 33 years. He retired as
a Col., still a reserve. The last time I saw him was when he CO of
MARTD at Glenview. I flew up there in a T-28 when I was at NavAir. He
went to Saudi Arabia to train their pilots in C-130's, I think. While
there, he & Helen split & he married Monique. When he returned, he
started flying H-3's on a Navy contract in the Bahamas. He stayed
there until he retired a few years back. I understand that his health
was poor to terrible for the last few years of his life. Helen said
his brothers told her he was incapacitated both physically and mentally
for the last few years.

S/F,
Ted Read

[popasmoke]

Submitted by Black Mac's wife Helen, and Ted Read

Colonel Frank G., "Black Mac", McLenon, USMCR (Ret), passed away on
Friday, 7 April 2006, age 79, at Cumberland Medical Center in
Crossville, Tenn. He was born 28 Feb l927 in Gibraltar, Michigan, the
first son of Clinton and Beatrice Springstead McLenon. Immediately upon
high school graduation and with parental permission, he enlisted in the
Marine Corps in l944 and received his Gold Wings and 2dLt bars in
February of l952. He served in World War II as a turret gunner in the
TBM Avengers flying some 90 missions from various atolls and carriers
from Okinawa to the East China Sea. He flew Corsairs in Korea; jets
with vmf-531 at Cherry Point, NC; and 3 tours in Vietnam flying
helicopters and C-130s. He was a Presidential Command Pilot for
Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. He attended Amphibious Warfare School
at Quantico, Va., interrupted by the October "Cuban Missile Crisis";
the Naval War College in Newport, RI; the University of Michigan and
the University of Rhode Island. He is survived by his wife, Monique,
2 step-children, Marina and Danny C. Thomas; 8 step-grandchildren and 2
step -great grandchildren; brother, Michael McLenon, (who also served
in the Marine Corps) of Rockwood, Mich.; brother, Kerry McLenon of
Grosse Isle, Mich.; sister, Lenora Barna of Detroit; many nieces and
nephews; a special nephew, LtCdr.Darran McLenon, USCG, League City, TX;
his namesake, Scott McLenon Diehl, Webster, NY; caregivers, Leaf Austin
and Stacie Sweat. He was preceded in death by his loving parents and
younger brother, Timothy McLenon. Funeral services were held in
Crossville Monday, l0 April 2006. A Memorial Service is planned for a
later date in Gibraltar, Mich. Colonel Mac was awarded many medals,
but his proudest was the Eagle Scout medal earned in his youth. He
retired in l977 after proudly serving his country for 33 years.
While serving as a Marine enlisted man and as a reserve officer on
active duty, Col McLenon fought in three wars and commanded two KC-130
squadrons,VMGR 251 and VMGR 252; After promotion to Colonel, he was
given command of ProvMag-39, the helicopter air group tasked with
extracting the last Americans from Viet Nam in 1975. His twilight tour
was as Commanding Officer of the Marine Air Reserve Detachment at NAS
Glenview, IL.

Semper Fi and Godspeed