Edmund Buchser, Jr.

Buchser, Edmund, Jr.; 87, retired Lt. Colonel, United States Marine Corps, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, passed away, January 10, 2010. Lt. Colonel Buchser is survived by his wife of 31 years, Patricia Lynn (Guerin) Buchser, originally from Webster, MA; a daughter, Barbara Belle Barber and her husband, R. Todd Barber and their two children, Anna and Jake, of Holliston, MA; a son, Edmund Buchser III and his wife, Carole Buchser, and their three children, Kathryn, Andrew and Ryan, of Chatham, NJ; a brother, William J. Buchser, and his wife, Polly Buchser, of Evansville, IN. Born in Owensboro, Kentucky on April 4, 1922, the son of Edmund, Sr., and Lavon Askins Dowell Buchser, the family moved to Tel City, IN, shortly after his birth. He graduated from Tell City High School in 1940 after being Co-Captain in football and basketball his senior year. He entered Western Kentucky University in the fall of 1940 and signed up for U.S. Navy Flight School in January 1942, where he was sent to Navy Pre-Flight School at University of Georgia at Athens. After Primary Flight School at Naval Air Station St. Louis, Missouri, he performed Flight Training and Final Squadron Flight Training at Nava...[more]

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ir Station Pensacola, Florida, graduating in July 1943. He was “checked-out” in F4U “Corsair” aircraft in MCAS El Toro, CA. In January 1944, he was assigned to squadron VMF-115, on Emirau, Northern Solomons, commanded by Major Joe Foss. Lt. Colonel Buchser flew 101 combat missions in the South Pacific and earned two Distinguished Flying Crosses. In the years after World War II, he was an instructor in Advanced Fighter Training, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, was a member of the U.S. Navy Flight Exhibition Team (later known as the “Blue Angels”) and spent 3 years as an air traffic controller. After being recalled to active duty in 1951, Lt. Colonel Buchser spent a year aboard aircraft carriers USS F.D. Roosevelt & USS Tarawa flying F2H-2 Banshees. In 1952-53, he was transferred to airfield K-3, Po’Hang Dong, Korea, MAG 33, VMF-115, flying F9F Pantherjets on 87 missions, including Strike Leader to Pyongyang (North Korean capital), earning him his third Distinguished Flying Cross. As Provost Marshall, he received a Bronze Star with a Combat V for relieving an Air Force Radio outpost under attack by guerrillas. From 1953 to 1956, he was Commanding Officer of several squadrons and chief test pilot for 3rd Marine Air Wing for fighter and attack aircraft. On release from active duty in 1956, he joined Douglas Aircraft in Production Test for the A4D-1 “Skyhwak” until joining National Air Lines later that year as a co-pilot in various aircraft. He was promoted to Captain in 1967, in B-727s, and qualified Captain on DC-10s in 1975. Pan American World Airways merged National Airlines in 1978, and he continued flying DC-10s and the Miami Dolphins charter 727s until retiring from PanAm and the U.S. Marine Corps as Lieutenant Colonel on April 4, 1982. After retirement, he engaged in flying, fishing and hunting. He hunted and fished in 19 states and 18 countries, including 9 African Safaris, 21 trips to New Zealand, and “The Glorious Twelfth” in Scotland for grouse and red stag deer, and he developed a successful hunting camp in Georgia for wild turkey and white tail deer. Life Member of Veterans of Foreign War, American Legion, USMC Aviation Association, Military Officers Association of America, National Rifle Association, Quiet Birdmen, Safari Club International, African Safari Club of Florida and other outdoors-related organizations. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either The Conservation Fund of the African Safari Club, P.O. Box 452043, Sunrise, FL. 33345-2043; or the US Marines Toys for Tots Foundation, www.toysfortots.org/donate/tribute-donation.asp , or mail your tribute donation in Lt. Colonel Edmund Buchser Jr.’s name to Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Gift Processing Administrator, 18251 Quantico Gateway Drive, Triangle, VA. 22172.http://videos.lifetributes.com/112685