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This Day in History – June 10, 1969 – The X-15 gets a place in history

10 June 1969: The U.S. Air Force donated the first North American Aviation X-15, serial number 56-6670, to the Smithsonian Institution for display at the National Air and Space Museum. The first of three X-15A hypersonic research rocketplanes built by North American for the Air Force and the National Advisory Committee (NACA, the predecessor of NASA), 56-6670 made the first glide flight and

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MacLennan, Bruce

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  • MacLennan, Bruce

Bruce MacLennan

Preferred Name: Bruce
Nickname/Call Sign: Big Fella
Date of Birth: May 30, 1935
Highest Military Grade: 0-6 – Colonel
Hometown: Braintree, MA
Headed West Date: September 10, 2019
Biography
Pilot Information
Headed West
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Bruce “Big Fella” MacLennan joined The Air Force through ROTC in April 1959, and began a 30-year career, fulfilling his childhood ambition of flying high-performance fighter aircraft, culminating in command of USAFE’s first F-5 Fighter Aggressor Squadron. He served three tours in Southeast Asia in the 1960s, including two tours in The F-4 Phantom, earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses.

Bruce flew the F-100 with the 153rd Tactical Fighter Squadron out of Cannon AFB, in Operation Checkmate during the Berlin Buildup, and out of Incirlik. He also flew the Hun with the 416th TFS out of Misawa AB, Japan.

Colonel MacLennan retired from The Weapons and Plans Division at The Pentagon in 1989.

Bruce was a Charter Member of the Super Sabre Society, a Life Member of the Red River Valley Association, a Life Member of the Order of Daedalians, Life Member of the Air Force Association, Life Member of  Military Officers of America Assoc., and belonged to the Command Bar Stoolers, the Theta Chi Fraternity and was a Life Member of the 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron “Headhunters”.

 

Source: BRUCE MacLENNAN Obituary (1935 – 2019) – Washington, DC – The Washington Post (legacy.com)

Units Assigned

  • Primary Flight Training at Graham AB, FL (Civilian Contract) (T-34)
  • Basic Flight Training at Laredo AFB, TX (T-37, T-33)
  • 4/1960 Wings received
  • 4/1960-4/1961 F-100 Training, Luke AFB, AZ/Advanced F-100 Training, Nellis AFB, NV
  • 1961 523rd Tactical Fighter Squadron/27th Tactical Fighter Wing, TAC; Cannon AFB, NM (F-100)
  • 9/1961 Deployments: Operation Checkmate (Berlin Buildup), Chambley AB, FR (F-100)
  • 1962 Incirlik AB, Turkey (F-100)
  • 4/1963 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron, PACAF, Misawa AB, Japan (F-100)
  • 7/1963 2nd Air Division, 13th AF, PACAF, ADC to Commander, Saigon, Vietnam (T-28, L-19 with VNAF)
  • 6/1964 68th Tactical Fighter Squadron/32 Tactical Fighter Wing (became 8th TFW prior to shifting to Thailand), George AFB, CA (T-33, F-4C)
  • 8/1965, Korat AB /Ubon AB, (First Night Owl Squadron over NVN), Thailand (F-4C)
  • USAF Fighter Weapons Squadron (F-4D)
  • Combat Hassle Test Program, Eglin AFB, FL (F4-D)
  • 1968-1971 Combat Operations Group, Directorate of Operations, Weapons Requirements Division,
  • Directorate of Research & Development, Pentagon (T-39)
  • 1971 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA
  • 1972-1973 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron, (with F-4 recheck at Homestead AFB, FL) Kunsan AB, Korea (F-4D)
  • 1973-1975 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron/81st Tactical Fighter Wing, RAF Woodbridge, UK (F-4D)
  • 1975-1976 Operations Branch Chief, USAFE IG Team (F-4D/E)
  • 1976-1978 527th Agressor Squadron, the first USAFE Aggressor Squadron (F-5E)
  • 1978-1980 DCS Plans and Operations, Europe/NATO Division, Pentagon
  • 1980 56th Tactical Training Wing, Asst DCO/DCO, MacDill AFB, FL (F-4D, F-16)
  • 1982-89 PCS to OSD Plans, Military Assistant to Industrial Task Force, Pentagon
    AF member of first OSD DOT&E Directorate; Chief, OSD AMRAD Committee;
    Advisor, USAF R&D Directorate
  • 4/1/1989 Retired USAF with 30 years of devoted, honorable, dedicated, and thoroughly enjoyable service to my country. I would have stayed longer if Congress had allowed. Then. Not now!!

Awards & Decorations

Legion Of Merit
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Medal
Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters
Meritorious Service Award
Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Flight Info

T-34
T-37
T-33
F-100
T-28
L-19
F-4 C/D/E
T-39
F-5E
F-16

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • 1971 Armed Forces Staff College
  • ICAF

Civilian Education:

  • Braintree HS
  • Thayer Academy
  • BS, University of New Hampshire
  • MS, University of South California

Bruce “Big Fella” MacLennan, (Col USAF, Ret) “Headed West” on September 10, 2019.

Colonel (USAF, retired) Bruce “Big Fella” MacLennan, 84, of Alexandria, VA, passed away on September 10, 2019, after battling cancer for four years.  Bruce, born in Quincy, MA to Alger and Virginia MacLennan in 1935, graduated from Braintree (MA) High School, Thayer Academy, and The University of New Hampshire.

He joined The Air Force through ROTC in April 1959, and began a 30-year career, fulfilling his childhood ambition of flying high-performance fighter aircraft, culminating in command of USAFE’s first F-5 Fighter Aggressor Squadron. He served three tours in Southeast Asia in the 1960s, including two tours in The F-4 Phantom, earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses.

Bruce flew the F-100 with the 153rd Tactical Fighter Squadron out of Cannon AFB, in Operation Checkmate during the Berlin Buildup, and out of Incirlik. He also flew the Hun with the 416th TFS out of Misawa AB, Japan.

Colonel MacLennan retired from The Weapons and Plans Division at The Pentagon in 1989.

Bruce was a Charter Member of the Super Sabre Society, a Life Member of the Red River Valley Association, a Life Member of the Order of Daedalians, Life Member of the Air Force Association, Life Member of  Military Officers of America Assoc., and belonged to the Command Bar Stoolers, the Theta Chi Fraternity and was a Life Member of the 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron “Headhunters”.

Bruce’s wife of 53 years, Eileen Crawley MacLennan, 83,  passed away less than a month earlier on August 17, 2019. He was also predeceased by a brother, Everett. Bruce is survived by his brother, John, and five nephews, and nieces.

Bruce and his wife Eileen were buried in Arlington National Cemetery on December 2, 2020.

Donations in memory of Bruce may be directed to the Air Force Aid Society, 1550 Crystal Drive, Suite 809, Arlington, VA 22202; afas.org. In memory of Eileen, donations may be made to Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA), 4101 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22304; alexandriaanimals.org.

Source:BRUCE MacLENNAN Obituary (1935 – 2019) – Washington, DC – The Washington Post (legacy.com)

Bruce Maclennan Before 225x309
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