KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- McBride Commons
Edward Ernest McBride, Major, 1930 – 1968
Maj. Edward ‘Hoss’ McBride, a native of Hattiesburg, Miss., enlisted in the Air Force, Apr. 16, 1952. A year later, he completed the Aviation Cadet Program and commissioned on June 16, 1953.
While assigned as an interceptor pilot to the 38th Fighter Intercept Squadron in Japan, he was scrambled in his F-86 to help locate and recover a lost aircraft. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his extraordinary courage and airmanship for flying in extremely hazardous weather conditions to intercept and guide a partially disabled aircraft safely to a landing.
In August 1968, McBride was assigned to a special project in Southeast Asia. During this period he worked closely with local friendly forces in their effort to become self-sufficient in the face of increasingly hostile pressures. He was a member of the Air Commandos and a Raven Forward Air Controller (FAC). In this hazardous combat environment he continuously displayed professionalism, knowledge, and bravery which earned him several honors.
McBride was killed in action, Nov. 27, 1968 during a conflict with hostiles in Southeast Asia. He was flying an O-1 aircraft as a Raven FAC near Savannakhet, Laos. Because of the classification of his mission on the day he died, what he was doing was never really published. The book “The Ravens” by Christopher Robins gives an account of the Ravens and how McBride, ’Raven 30,’ was killed in action.
McBride’s awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star, Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters and a Purple Heart.
McBride Commons is a community center which offers something for everyone. It is located in Bldg. 2222 on the corner of Larcher Blvd. and Meadows Dr. It offers an engraving shop, frame shop, embroidery shop, arts and crafts, ink printing, a conference room, meeting area, a gaming room, library and free Wi-Fi.