lest we forget

McKINNEY, CECIL CURTIS

Rank / Branch:

SPECIALIST FIFTH CLASS, U.S. ARMY

Date Of Birth:

1946-09-25

Country Of Loss:

SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

HOSTILE, MISADVENTURE

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:

GROUND

Other:

NOT MARRIED

Unit:

101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION

Date Of Loss:

1968-10-05

Loss Coordinates:

THUA THIEN

Catagory:

BODY RECOVERED

Awards & Decorations:

SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

MCKINNEY, CECIL CURTIS, SPECIALIST 5TH CLASS, U.S. ARMY, MIDLAND, MIDLAND COUNTY, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

COMBAT MEDICS BADGE, BRONZE STAR WITH V DEVICE AND OAKLEAF CLUSTER, PURPLE HEART, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM MILITARY MERIT MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

Cecil Curtis McKinney was born in El Reno, Oklahoma. His family moved to Midland in 1958 when Cecil was 12 years old. He was the son born to Willie L. and Cecil Crockett McKinney. He graduated from Midland Lee High School in 1965, was a 2-year letterman in football and then attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock.
He enlisted in the Army from Midland and took basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas and then attended combat medic training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He applied and was accepted for parachute training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Upon completion of this training, he was levied for Vietnam and departed May 20, 1967. He was with the 173rd Airborne Brigade his first year and he extended for six months. He was assigned as a combat medic with B Company, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. He did several missions as a medic with Tiger force Recon of the 101st Division. As his tour was winding down, he was assigned as a senior medic with the Battalion Aid Station. Just before he was to depart Vietnam, one of the field medics had received an emergency leave home and Specialist McKinney volunteered to take his place for a few days until a replacement could be located. He did this in order to say good-bye to his comrades. It was here that he was assisting the loading of a medevac helicopter during a hostile engagement. The helicopter had landed on an incline at an angle and when Specialist McKinney was attempting to come under the blades, he was struck and died immediately.
Specialist McKinney was deeply devoted to his church and his family. He also enjoyed sports. He was buried at the Fairview Cemetery in Midland with full military honors. His father passed away in 1978 and his mother lives in San Angelo. He was survived by his sisters Frankie and Linda.