Earl Cecil Mc Swain Jr.

EARL C. MC SWAIN, JR, Colonel, US Army Retired, passed away October 18, 2016 at the age of 91. He was a resident of the Army Residence Community in San Antonio, Texas, and was born April 1, 1925 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Earl served 36 years in the military, entering the service in 1943 as a Recruit and served every enlisted grade. His first duty assignment was with the Air Force and he served with one of the first Aviation Engineer Battalions while in the 4th Air Force in Spokane, Washington. He received a direct commission in 1950 as a 2nd Lt., and his first assignment was as Commander of the Medical Detachment Command, 13th Medium Tank Battalion, Ft Hood, Texas. Other assignments were at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Colorado, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Washington DC. Overseas assignments were in Germany, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. He was chosen to be Aide-de-Camp to two Generals while stationed at Fitzsimons Army Hospital, Denver, Colorado. His assignment in Vietnam was Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel and Administration, 434th Medical Brigade. Earl’s last assignment was at Brooke Army Medical Center where he served as Hospital Administrator when he retired 1979, and then became the Administrator for the San Antonio State Chest Hospital for ten years.

Earl was a graduate of San Antonio Technical and Vocational High School and St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas. Military schooling consisted of the Asst. Battalion Surgeon’s Course, Army Medical Service Officers Advanced Course, Advanced Personnel Officers Course, University of Michigan, Army Aviation Orientation for Senior Service Officers, Ft. Rucker, Alabama, CBR Weapons Orientation Course, Dugway PG, Utah, US Army-Baylor University Program in Health Care Administration and then served as Preceptor for health care graduates of the Army Baylor Program.

Early in his youth he became a licensed pilot going on to be rated to instruct flying. While stationed in Colorado he took up the hobby of amateur Radio and was licensed to operate his radio station on many frequencies. When his assignment took him to Germany he was licensed to operate a station in Germany and Luxemburg. He was an active member for many years of the Army MARS Program.

While serving with the Army in Tokyo, Japan in the early 1950’s he studied oil painting with an artist who later became well known for his paintings of members of the Japanese Diet. Earl is a past President of the River Art Group in San Antonio and worked for many years as a volunteer host.

Along with his joy of painting, Earl enjoyed restoring antique furniture, photography, stamp and coin collecting, and earned a brown belt in Judo while stationed in Japan.

He was proud to serve in the Medial Service Corps and in the early years of the social group he lead an active role in naming the group the MSC Network and later the State approved the name now used as the Silver Caduceus Association. He requested and received authority for the organization to be incorporated and he wrote the long and tedious 501©(19) federal document making the organization a Non-profit Corporation.

Decorations and ribbons; Legion of Merit with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star, Army Commendation Metal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Good Conduct Medals, Medal (#906) of Military Medical Merit, and other awards from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

Col. McSwain is survived by his wife Betty of 72 years and four daughters: Kathryn Rhodes, San Antonio, Texas and three children, Saundra Kirby, Forrest Kirby and Crystal Pain, husband David; Diane Wilke, Anchorage, Alaska; Betty Adolph, husband Randy, Burke Virginia, and two children Eric Adolph and Alison Katoozian, husband Shary; Patricia Markwardt and four children Brittni, Korbin, Mason Markwardt, and Hillari Miller, husband Ryan, San Antonio; Cousin Carol Burket and husband James, and daughters Dana Burket, and Jayme Koltsov. Col. McSwain was proud to have 7 great grandchildren.

Visitation will be 6 pm, Wednesday, October 26, 2016 with a Vigil at 7pm at Sunset Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral Mass will be 11:30 am, October 27, 2016 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 6680 Crestway, San Antonio, TX 78239, with burial to follow at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery with full military honors.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice.