Marvin Leonard McNickle – Lieutenant General, United States Air Force

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COURTESY OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

LIEUTENANT GENERAL MARVIN LEONARD MCNICKLE

Retired August 31, 1972. Died August 19, 2007.

Lieutenant General Marvin Leonard McNickle wass commander of Thirteenth Air Force with headquarters at Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines. Encompassing U.S. Air Force units in the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand, Thirteenth Air Force provides air defense as well as forces for tactical air operations, and supplies administrative and logistical support of U.S. Air Force units assigned throughout Southeast Asia.

General McNickle was born in Doland, South Dakota, in 1914, and graduated from Doland High School in 1932. He entered the University of South Dakota and graduated in June 1936 with a bachelor of arts degree in business administration and a commission in the Army as a Reserve second lieutenant. A short time later he entered the Army Air Corps flying training program and received his pilot wings in October 1937.

During World War II, his principal assignments included duty with fighter units in England from June 1942 until September 1942 and in North Africa, Sicily and Corsica from October 1942 until June 1944. He then was transferred to Headquarters Army Air Forces, Washington, D.C., as a member of the Joint War Plans Committee.

In January 1946 General McNickle moved to Wright Field, later redesignated Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where he held various positions in the Air Materiel Command. In August 1951 he was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and served with that command until July 1953.

He returned to the United States and attended the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, from August 1953 to July 1954. In September 1954 he attended the Management Course at The George Washington University.

General McNickle commanded the 314th Troop Carrier Wing at Sewart Air Force Base, Tenn., from July 1954 until July 1956. Then he was assigned as Deputy for Materiel, Tactical Air Command with headquarters at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.

From June 1961 to June 1963, General McNickle was director of supply, Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command, and in June 1963 became director of operations, AFLC. In January 1964 he took command of the Ninth Air Force, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. In August 1966 he became the deputy director of research and engineering for administration, evaluation, and management, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C.

General McNickle was assigned as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., in February 1969 with additional duty as Military Director, U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board. He assumed duties as commander, Thirteenth Air Force with headquarters at Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines, in February 1970.

His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross (Britain) and the Croix de Guerre with Palm (France).

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Marvin L. McNickle, 93, a retired Air Force Lieutenant General, died of coronary artery disease August 19, 2007, at his home in Arlington County, Virginia.

General McNickle spent 36 years in the military, with his final assignment as commander of the 13th Air Force, with headquarters at the former Clark Air Base in the Philippines. He then worked six years with NASA as special assistant to the associate administrator for manned space flight and helped select the first shuttle astronauts.

He was born in Doland, South Dakota, and graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1936. He entered the Army Air Corps flying training program and received his pilot’s wings in October 1937.

During World War II, he was a squadron commander in the 405th Fighter Group in Europe, flying Spitfires in England, North Africa, Sicily and Corsica.

After a twin brother was shot down and imprisoned in Stalag Luft III and a younger brother was shot down and killed in Burma, he was transferred to Washington as a member of the Joint War Plans Committee.

Gen. McNickle’s later assignments were with the Air Materiel Command, the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force in Europe, a troop carrier wing in Tennessee and the Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base. He became director of supply and then director of operations at the Air Force Logistics Command in 1961. Three years later, he took command of the Ninth Air Force at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.

In 1966, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and moved to Washington as deputy director of research and engineering for administration, evaluation and management in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Gen. McNickle later was made deputy chief of staff for research and development at Air Force headquarters and military director of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board.

In 1970, General McNickle received his final assignment, overseeing Air Force units in the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand, and supplying administrative and logistical support of Air Force units across Southeast Asia. He left active duty in 1972, and settled in Arlington, working for NASA until 1978.

A member of the Military Order of the Carabao, General McNickle served as Grand Paramount Carabao in 1976 and as Grand Patriarch of the Herd until his death.

His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. He also received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal in 1978.

Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Mary Elizabeth McNickle of Arlington; two children, Mollie McNickle Wheeler of Bryn Mawr, Pa., and Mark L. McNickle of Herndon; and two grandchildren.

Lt. Gen. MARVIN L. MCNICKLE
US Air Force, (Ret.)

Age 93 of Arlington, Virginia, died Sunday, August 19, 2007. Born in Doland, South Dakota, he was the son of the late Miles and Blanche LaBrie McNickle. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his twin brother, Major General Melvin F. McNickle. Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Mary Elizabeth McNickle; a daughter, Mollie McNickle Wheeler and her husband, Rick; a son, Mark L. McNickle and his wife, Dondie; two grandchildren, Susan Virginia Wheeler and Nathaniel Wheeler.

Funeral services for Lieutenant General Marvin L. McNickle will be conducted at 8:45 a.m. Thursday, November 1, 2007 at Arlington National Cemetery with Full Military Honors. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Capital Hospice, 6565 Arlington Blvd., Ste. 501, Falls Church, Virginia 22042.

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