| Roger McDonald |
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Ranger Roger L. McDonald or “Mac” was born in Inger, Minnesota in 1935 and enlisted in the US Army as an Infantryman in 1953. After Basic and AIT, he was assigned to the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky where he completed Jump School, Aerial Delivery, Air Transportability and Jumpmaster Schools in 1954. His professional military training continued with Pathfinder School and Light and Heavy Weapons Schools at Fort Benning, Georgia, Winter Mountain School at Fort Carson, Colorado and Summer Mountain School at Fort Greely, Alaska. He graduated from US Army Ranger School in 1962 and Jungle Warfare School in Panama CZ in 1963. In 1966, He was selected to be a RECONDO Instructor at the 101st Airborne Division’s RECONDO School at Fort Campbell. He was later selected as a Ranger Instructor at the Mountain Ranger Camp in Dahlonega, GA. During his three tours of duty in The Republic of Vietnam, He served with the South Vietnamese Mobile Training Team, the 173rd Airborne Brigade and MAC-V. In 1969 he was selected for Vietnamese Language School at Fort Bliss, Texas. During his time in Vietnam, Ranger Mac experienced heavy combat with enemy forces on numerous occasions always leading from the front. He received several awards for valor including four purple hearts. In 1970 he was again assigned to the Mountain Ranger Camp where he served as the NCOIC of Combat Patrolling Committee. He volunteered his spare time on many occasions to work with various Boy Scout and ROTC units in teaching Rappelling, Mountaineering and basic patrolling techniques. Ranger Mac retired to Cartersville, Georgia in 1973 after serving 20 years on active duty. He worked extensively with the Cartersville Police Department advising and assisting them in creating a SWAT Team. Ranger Mac was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade in 2001. |
