Harry "Bud" McCluskey, Jr.

(1919 - 1950)

 

Early Life

Born: April 14, 1919

Parents: Harry McCluskey

Siblings: Bob, Jim, Tom

Koshare Life

Bud was one of the Koshare's Charter Members and one of the first Koshare Chiefs. He was awarded his Eagle Scout on February 23, 1935, from the Rocky Mountain Council. Bud and eight other Koshares attended the First National Boy Scout Jamboree in 1937.

Later Life

Bud married Jacquelyne Boulton. Jacquelyne was the daughter of Oscar and Susie Boulton of La Junta. Oscar Boulton was employed as a conductor for the Sante Fe Railroad. After the marriage, Bud went on to attend Texas A & M in College Station, Texas.

Bud left college in 1941, his senior year, to join the Army Air Corps. By 1942, he was in Sacramento finishing up his Air Navigation course. During World War II, Bud served as a sergeant and liason pilot in the 162 AAF Liaison Squadron. In 1943, Bud was a Liaison Pilot based in Scotfield, Illinois. After his military service Bud and his wife returned to La Junta. In 1945, Bud and a friend started a flying school. The two also provided many other plane services including crop dusting and spraying services.

Bud loved flying and spent the rest of his life doing what he loved. On December the 14th of 1950 Bud McCluskey was killed in a plane crash near Salida. Bud was on a search mission for a lost plane near Salida when his plane hit an air pocket which caused it to crash.

Bud and Jacquelyne had two children, Harry and Dorothy. Perhaps out of Bud's love for the sky they nicknamed their son Sky. Bud's son, Harry, became a high school football coach. Harry retired from his profession, but continues a football program at Hampton Academy in Maine (a part time job). Harry resides in Houston, Texas. Bud's daughter is a retired real estate broker who now lived in Austin, Texas. Bud's wife Jacquelyne passed away on January 14, 2007.

 

Pictures

First Chiefs Council
First Boy Scout Jamboree
1937 Group Photo