Col. James R. McDonald, USAF, Retired Obituary

Col. James R. "Jim" McDonald, USAF Retired, 68, of Lee County, died Monday, October 2, 2006 at his residence.The memorial service will be held at 11 AM Saturday at Kimbrell-Stern Funeral Directors with full military honors.A native of Poulan, Mr. McDonald was born to James Andrew McDonald and Clifford Thompson McDonald. Jim was an ordained Methodist Minister when he left the clergy and went into service with the United States Air Force. He was assigned to McConnell AFB, KS and attended the Missile Launch Officer's course at Vandenberg. He was then assigned as a Deputy Missile Commander at a Titan II missile site. Mr. McDonald became the first First Lieutenant to command a combat missile crew in the Strategic Air Command (SAC). Later, he was assigned to the First Strategic Air Division, Vandenberg AFB, CA as the Executive Assistant to the commanding general. He was then assigned to Squadron Officers' School at Maxwell AFB, AL as the wing commander of a group. After attending the Air Command and Staff College, he was assigned to the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA where he received a Masters' Degree in national Security Affairs. Mr. McDonald then attended the Foreign Language institute to learn Hebrew and Arabic.After graduate school, he was posted to Headquarters Strategic Air Command as the Special Advisor to the Commander In Chief Strategic Air Command where he negotiated with Israel and Egypt on the terms for military separation as a member of the Camp David Accords team. He was also the SAC negotiator for the SALT II talks in Switzerland where he helped set the guidelines for cruise missiles to be carried on heavy bombers. Mr. McDonald was then assigned as the Military Air Attache to the United States Embassy, Tel Aviv, Israel.Mr. McDonald was later assigned as the Director for Middle Eastern Affairs, Office of the Secretary of Defense. He later formed a business with a partner, specializing in sales to the Department of Defense of audio visual information systems to the U.S. government as well as foreign governments with U.S. approval.Mr. McDonald is survived by his son, James F. McDonald of Sterling, VA; a brother, Russell C. McDonald and his wife Barbara Ann of Lee County; several nieces and nephews; and several great-nieces and great-nephews.The family will receive friends at Kimbrell-Stern following the memorial service. Those desiring may make memorial contributions to Albany Community Hospice, P.O. Box 1828, Albany, GA 31702.

Col. James R. McDonald, USAF, Retired Obituary

July 5, 1938 - October 2, 2006