mem-buck-01

Lewis Eugene “Buck” Buchanan
1950-2012
VIRGINIA – LTC (R) Lewis Eugene “Buck” Buchanan, the consummate warrior, was born on Johnson Air Force Base in Japan on May 18, 1950 and passed away on June 8, 2012. His parents, Lewis Earl Buchanan and Lilly Y. Buchanan, preceded him in death.

Buck graduated from Itazuke High School in Japan in 1968, graduated summa cum laude from Chaminade College in Hawaii with a degree in business and earned his Master’s in Public Administrator from the University of Missouri in Kansas City. Buck was interested in everything and maintained a lifelong pursuit of learning.

Buck joined the Army in 1969 at age 19. He did his Basic Training at Fort Polk, Louisiana, and his warrant officer flight training at Fort Wolters, Texas, Fort Rucker, Alabama, and Fort Stewart, Georgia. He served a year in Vietnam with D. Troop, 3/5 Cavalry in 1970-71. This began a career of cavalry assignments, spanning tours in Fort Hood, Schofield Barracks, fort Rucker, fort Knox and Fulda (Germany). He took a direct commission from Chief Warrant Officer 3 to Captain in 1981, and in his subsequent assignments served tours with Special Operations (Delta), the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) at Fort Monroe, ROTC at the University of South Carolina, and 24th Infantry Division at Fort Jackson. Buck retired from the Army in July 2006 after 37 years of active duty and began his service as a Department of the Army Civilian with First Army Division East at Fort Meade, Maryland, in December 2006. His awards and decorations include the Master Army Aviator Badge, the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with V Device, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Vietnamese Cross of Galantry and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Buck enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, scuba diving, cooking and especially snow skiing, serving over 20 years with the National Ski Patrol. He had a fondness for both the ocean and the mountains and was at home anywhere in the world. He is survived by his wife, Joyce; his daughters, Kristelle and Danielle; his son-in-law, PFC Thomas Stanish; his grandson, Rowan Lewis; his sister, Janice; his battle buddy, BG Jan Haigler; his mother-in-law, Frances Godwin and sister-in-law, Marilyn Brookshear

A celebration of life for Buck at Fort Meade, MD on 21 July. The location was the Fort Meade Club.