Marine vet would do it all again
Aug. 12—During his 28-year career with the military, Ken McLaughlin acquired lifelong memories of his adventures and aeronautical accomplishments.
He's modest about all of his accolades, and has zero regrets about signing up for service at the end of the Korean War.
"I would do it all over again," said the 85-year-old Clarkston resident. "I highly recommend it, even though it was unpleasant at times, and I was broke. I would never have been able to travel and see all of those things if I hadn't signed up."
McLauglin joined the Idaho National Guard on Christmas Eve at the age of 17, with permission from his mother. Eight days later, he signed on with the 129th armored cavalry, shortly before the end of the Korean G.I. Bill of Rights.
The Caldwell, Idaho, native later joined the Marine Corps with several of his buddies, "to the chagrin of my mother."
"We went looking for the Air Force recruiter, but found the Marine person in his spiffy uniform," he said. "He said the Marines have airplanes, and if we score high enough we could get into the air wing. I did not realize it at the time, but by going on active duty, I became a Korean veteran."
After boot camp and a four-day train trip to Jacksonsville, Fla., McLaughlin and his friends changed into their wool "tropical" uniforms, which were "beautifully pressed with military creases.
"When we stepped out of the depot to the sidewalk to hail a cab, we were immediately covered in sweat and our uniforms just hung on us and smelled like wet sheep."
McLaughlin completed aviation electrician school and was assigned to an A4D squadron, designed to loft atomic bombs. He studied the system for six months before departing for Japan to help a sister squadron with maintenance.
The first stop was Hawaii, a 13-hour flight that used almost all of the fuel. On a night flight to Wake Island, the cabin lights went out, and the crew chief asked McLaughlin for help.
"I went forward, asked him for an offset screwdriver and made an adjustment that you are only supposed to do when you are setting the voltage regulator on a bench setup," he recalled. "It worked, so we had lights and could cook, and most importantly could hone in on Wake Island."
From there, it was off to Iwakuni, Japan, for a short stay. and then to the Philippines, where he witnessed the flight of "the super secret U2 airplane."
"Since the plane only had wheels fore and aft, the men lining the runway caught the wing tips as the plane slowed down, before they could drag it to the concrete surface."
When he was back in California at the El Toro base, he was sent to San Diego for preparatory school, and then shipped off to the University of Idaho to participate in the Naval Enlisted Scientific Education Program.
"I took the hardest courses they had available: chemistry, Russian, physics and calculus. I wasn't concerned about my grades, I just wanted to get on with it."
McLaughlin was injured in a car wreck on the way back from his buddy's wedding in Cottonwood, but managed to ace a chemistry test on the following Monday, he said. Ultimately, his grades dropped, and he wound up back at El Toro in the F4D squadron.
His service included more trips overseas, including a 13-month deployment in Japan, where he was the go-to person sent to other bases to repair planes with electrical problems.
"I fixed a lot of planes and helicopters," he said. "I also made a diagram of power systems for various airplanes," which he laminated in plastic and was pleased to see still in use during a visit five years later.
McLaughlin worked for a telephone company in California before moving back to Idaho in 1968, and he's lived in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley ever since. The father of five has been married to his wife, Elaine, for 26 years, and they reside near Red Wolf Golf Course in Clarkston.
Before retiring after 32 years, McLaughlin was an engineer for Pacific Bell and US West and led the community service organization, Telephone Pioneers of America, as the local president for many years. In addition, he worked as a contract engineer for US West for another decade.
McLaughlin also became the treasurer and handyman at the Asotin County Museum and worked for the Idaho National Guard.
These days, McLaughlin said his favorite hobby is golf, but he also helps out with vacuuming. As for his many achievements, the veteran said, "Pride goes before the fall. I'm a humble person."
Sandaine can be reached at kerris@lmtribune.com
Editor's note: This is a new feature on Ken McLaughlin. A previous profile of McLaughlin, written by a different reporter, that appeared in the Tribune's Forgotten War special section July 27 contained several errors.
