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<em>James Clifford McKittrick</em> was born on 22 June 1942 in South Carolina and entered West Point on 5 July 1960 with the Class of 1964. He had graduated from Clinton, South Carolina High School as Salutatorian and was president of the student body</p>
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After graduation on 3 June 1964, Cliff went to Airborne and Ranger School and reported to the 82d Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he was assigned to the 1st Battalion of the 320th Airborne Field Artillery. He served with distinction with the 82d in the Dominican Republic and returned to Fort Bragg to finish his tour there. In the spring of 1967, he deployed to Vietnam and took command of a firing battery in the 3-16 Field Artillery. Within days of assuming command, Cliff went on a reconnaissance flight with his First Sergeant, Edward J. Guillory, and disappeared in the crash of an OH-23 helicopter. There were reports that the helicopter was shot down and the three personnel in it were executed, but nothing was found to substantiate this story. Cliff was declared Missing in Action and remained so until 22 January 1975, when the Army declared him dead.</p>
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Cliff’s brother Dan stated that, “he was a paratrooper and a Ranger, and we knew that, if anybody could survive, he could. But, after a month or so, it began to sink in that he might not be coming back. But we still had hope. We still do. There’s a little spot there.” Cliff’s younger brother Jack said the following: “As the months and years went on, we realized that it was more and more doubtful that he could be alive, but still we had hope that he was a prisoner. That was the best we could hope for. As the war came to a close, the names of prisoners were released, and he was not one of them coming home. That was a pretty rough time.”</p>
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Cliff McKittrick and his two brothers grew up on a family-sized dairy farm between Laurens and Clinton, the sons of a farmer/builder who was a lifetime Baptist deacon. Cliff was six years younger than Dan and four years older than Jack, both of whom were thankful they weren’t in high school the same time as their brother. Dan recalled with amusement, “When Jack started at Clinton High School, he went to the principal’s office and told the principal not to expect Cliff’s grades out of him.”</p>
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Another testament to Cliff came from a grade school classmate of his, Dr. William Harris, pastor of 1st Baptist Church in Greenwood. He said that “the thing I remember most about him was his honesty and industry.” Cliff’s best friend, R.E. Elmore, Jr., said that he wasn’t much interested in farming but was much more at home with an idea. It is said that, although Cliff was studious, he was not a constant bookworm and was popular among his classmates. Another classmate, Mrs. Charlton Law of Columbia (the former Linda Milam of Clinton), said, “I get chills standing here thinking about him because his death was so untimely. He was such a well-regarded person.”</p>
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Cliff was very concerned about his mother’s declining health during his cadetship. Unfortunately, she died during his first class year at West Point. Some year later, his father remarried the former Madeline Lowman Cuningham, a widow who owned a lumber business in Clinton where Cliff’s father bought his building supplies. They had only been married four days when a car pulled into the driveway late one afternoon with the information that Cliff was Missing in Action.</p>
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On the day he disappeared, Cliff and his First Sergeant went to observe the damage his battery had inflicted, upon the enemy. It was to be a flight of about one hour. The helicopter never returned. His friend Elmore, himself a career officer, felt that the chances for survival were slim. About a year later, Elmore flew over the area where Cliff disappeared. He said that it would have been easy for the helicopter to disappear. He said, “It is true that it could have been shot down. It would have been very vulnerable to even shoulder-held weapons. I would like to hold out some hope that there may be someone alive, but that is extremely remote. I have lived in that harsh environment and find the stories that we could have some Americans held there against their will hard to believe.”</p>
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Cliff’s father died in February 1985. Brothers Jack and Dan are both in the lumber business. Jack said, “I thought like a lot of other Americans, that it was the right thing to do to keep communism in check.” He added, “I think we all learned that, if we sent soldiers out to fight, we should let them win it and use whatever they needed to defeat the enemy and get home.” Cliff McKittrick was an exemplary cadet at West Point, graduating in the top 25% of his Class of 1964. He became an airborne soldier with the 82d Airborne Division and was an exemplary officer there, as well. Cliff was highly respected by the officers and NCO’s of the 320th Airborne Field Artillery. He was a professional soldier and was destined for great things in the Army. He was an inspiration to those who knew him and a totally dedicated officer and gentleman. It was a privilege to serve with him in the 82d Airborne Division and to have known him as a friend and fellow officer.</p>
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<em>Jeff Kleb with family, classmates, and friends</em></p>