GyBill
01-20-2009, 01:50 PM
Col Lawrence McGlade USMC (ret), 89, of San Diego, Calif., passed away on January 7, 2009, in Rancho Mirage. Lawrence was born September 13, 1919, in Detroit, Michigan to John and Lenore McGlade. They soon moved to Philadelphia and later to Washington, D.C., where Lawrence lived the remainder of his childhood. A resourceful and responsible young man, he managed to do well in high school while holding down various jobs to help the family. Upon graduating, he joined his father in working for Otis Elevator and worked on numerous projects around the Washington, D.C. area, including the Pentagon. By 1942, Lawrence had married the love of his life, Martha Lea McGlade and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, becoming a dive bomber pilot and fighting in the Philippine islands during World War II. Most of his time was spent in the Douglas Dauntless SBD, in which he and his co-pilot saw their fair share of action and close-calls. After the war, he migrated to flying fighters and spent considerable flight time in Tigercats and Corsairs. In Korea, he frequently flew the R5D in transporting and evacuating troops. By the late 1950's, he started his career in jet fighters, starting with the F9F Panther and finishing over twenty years later in the F4 Phantom. He especially enjoyed leading a squadron of F8U Crusaders at El Toro, Calif.; some of his best memories were in serving there with the "Checkerboards." During his career, he also managed to finish Bachelors and Masters degrees in Management from the University of Maryland. Throughout these years, Lawrence moved his wife and two children through his numerous duty stations with the same strong support and optimistic leadership that he displayed during his entire lifetime. The family benefited from experiencing life in every region of our country and in knowing the close-knit, esprit d' corps of Marine Corps life. After retiring at the rank of Colonel in 1971, he went on to start a successful restaurant business in San Diego and later spent his time traveling thoughout Europe and New Zealand. He will always be remembered for his faithfulness to friends and family. Lawrence lived life with real courage and had a wonderful way of putting any "problem" into proper perspective. Throughout life he was respectful to all and intimidated by none. A true member of, "The Greatest Generation," he will be greatly missed by his family and the many others who knew and loved him. Lawrence is survived by his son, Randy McGlade, daughter-in-law, Vanessa McGlade, and granddaughter Claire McGlade, all of La Quinta, Calif. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a contribution to the American Cancer Society, which Lawrence also supported in memory of his wife.