John Lee Mckellips

Funeral Services for Honorable John Lee McKellips, 87, Lt. Colonel, retired U.S. Army, former Custer City resident will be held 2:00 P.M., Thursday, August 4, 2016 in the Kiesau Memorial Chapel, officiated by Rev. Jerry Yoder . Burial will conclude in the Custer City Masonic Cemetery with full military honors and under the direction of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home. John Lee McKellips was born December 7, 1928 to John William McKellips and Myrtle Bell (Barney) McKellips in Custer City, Oklahoma and passed away Monday, August 1, 2016 in his Missouri City, TX home. He was raised and attended school in Custer City where he was known as Johnnie during his school days. He excelled in academics, was a first string basketball player in high school, star of his junior and senior plays (theater) and worked at odd jobs from the age of nine years. John was Custer's first Eagle Scout, awarded at the age of 15; John named Custer's basketball team as the Custer Generals. It should have been named as the Custer Colonels since George Armstrong Custer was a lieutenant Colonel at the time of his death at the battle of Little Big Horn. John was active in church while in high school, taught a Sunday school class and was general secretary of the Sunday school. Eager to get into Work War II, he joined the U.S. Army right out of high school at the age of 17. He was in prior to the official end of the war and therefore became a veteran of World War II. He is also a veteran of the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Mr. Mckellips served three years in the U.S. Army in Japan and was discharged as a staff sergeant n 1949. He was immediately accepted at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, graduated with his bachelor of arts degree ( a four-year degree) in three years and was commissioned a second lieutenant from ROTC as distinguished military graduated (he made straight A's in military science).The Korean War was on at the time, and John volunteered for active duty. Much to his dismay, he was ordered to Germany for duty with t the occupation forces there. He had missed the shooting war again and was not at all happy about it. After two years of active duty as an officer, John returned to the University of Oklahoma and completed his law degree in two years. He was awarded a juris doctor of law degree in 1956. John was also active in the U.S. States Army Reserve in Oklahoma City while attending law school and was commanding officer of a reserve unit, receiving his promotion to captain. His battalion needed airplane pilots. John jumped at this opportunity to fulfill a lifetime dream of becoming a military pilot. He was accepted on active duty for training and earned his "wings" in 1957. He enjoyed flying so much he stayed on active duty, became a regular Army captain and went on to graduate from helicopter school in 1958. As a regular Army officer, all of John's assignments were at high levels. At Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, he served as aviation staff officer at Third Corps Headquarters (which included the 83rd Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne Division in Kentucky). In 1959 Captain McKellips was sent to Korea as an airfield commander and aviation officer for a First Corps unit stationed north of the 38th parallel (the general dividing line between North and South Korea). His unit flew DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) patrol missions along the North Korean truce line every day. Captain McKellips flew 70 DMZ missions himself. His unit never had an aircraft accident during his 13 months in Korea. From Korea, Captain McKellips spent two years on ground duty, an Army requirement for all pilots, where he commanded a unit and was promoted to major. Major McKellips was then assigned to the U.S. Strike Command in Florida as aviation support commander, flying twin-engine Beech Queen Aires (cabin class staff transport) and helicopters. From Strike Command, Major McKellips was sent to Vietnam where he finally got into a shooting war. He served in headquarters U.S. Army Vietnam and, in addition, flew combat missions with other units including Casters' 7th Air Calvary. Helicopter air assault missions were exciting but dangerous with the Viet Cong using everything against you, including bows and arrows. Major McKellips wrote a book about his service in Vietnam titled, Bloody Boots - Black Pajamas. The title came from the black pajama-like clothing worn by the Viet Cong and the bloody boots they had stripped from dead American Soldiers. He never forgot the stacks of bodies he saw. From Vietnam, Major McKellips returned to strike Command and then on to the Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Major McKellips completed the nine-month course earning the equivalence of a master of military science degree and promotion to lieutenant colonel. From there, Colonel McKellips was assigned to Fifth Army headquarters as an Army inspector general (IG). Along with his other duties, Colonel McKellips continued to fly until his retirement in 1974. As a regular Army officer, Colonel McKellips could have stayed in service to complete 30 years. But he wanted to take a crack at the practice of law while still young enough. Colonel McKellips continued to fly his own airplane, a twin-engine Beechcraft Baron which he lovingly call the "Red Baron." Colonel Mckellips earned 13 medals while in the military including service medals for World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam, also occupation medals for Germany and Japan, the Legion of Merit, Army and Joint Services commendation medals along with two Air Medals. He is a member of the Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida Bar Association. Afer his military retirement in 1974, he immediately began the practice of law in El Paso, Texas. (He thought he would try the dry desert air for better health.) In 1978 he was elected judge of El Paso's Night Court and then four years later was elected a district judge. Judge McKellips has continued to serve as senior district judge after his retirement in 1994. While serving as visiting judge in Huston, TX, Judge McKellips completed four years of Bible study and was awarded a university doctor of divinity degrees and certified as a licensed minister of the gospel. John has completed two careers-first as a military officer, a pilot, retiring as a lieutenant colonel, and second as a lawyer and judge, retiring as a senior district judge. John had plans of returning to Custer City as a private citizen to contribute to the rebirth of the community. To come home is a dream of many people. Circumstances deny most this opportunity. From the War-torn countries of Germany, Japan, Korea and Vietnam, John had guided his aircraft back to make lazy circles over his hometown of Custer City, and he had hoped to land soon and be home for the rest of his life. He is survived by his wife, Tanya A. McKellips, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.