LT. COL. PAUL FLETCHER MCLELLAN
Paul Fletcher McLellan was born in Dupree, South Dakota on June 22, 1917. He was raised on his father's homestead (farm/ranch) South East of Lantry on the Cheyenne Indian Reservation.
Paul attended his First Grades of School in a one-room country schoolhouse with one teacher for up to eight grades. In High School he loved sports, and played on the football, basketball and baseball teams. He was one of the four young men from S.D. selected to attend the Purina Mills Boys Camp at Camp Miniwauska in Minnesota. After graduating from High School he helped his father on the farm for three years before attending South Dakota State College in 1938. He graduated from SDSC in June of 1942, and entered the U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidate School at Quantico, VA. He graduated from this school in December of 1942, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Later that month he was transferred to Camp Pendleton, CA, where he became the Rifle Platoon Commander of "G" Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division.
In January 1943, Paul's Unit left the states for New Zealand for training, and later to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Group of Islands of Bougainville. In July 1944, his Unit landed on heavily fortified beaches on the Island of Guam, where he was also the Executive Officer, but became Company Commander a few days later during the battle for Fonte Hill when his Company Commander was wounded and evacuated from the Island. A few days later, he too was seriously wounded, and evacuated to the Field Hospital on Guam. When he returned a few days later, he again became Executive Officer.
By February of 1945, Paul and his Unit landed on the Island of Iwo Jima. After many days of fighting on the front lines, Paul again became Company Commander when the Captain was killed. Paul remained with the same Rifle Company, as Rifle Platoon Commander, Company Executive Officer, and Company Commander overseas until March 15, 1945, when he was severely wounded and was evacuated to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Long Beach, CA., to recover until the war was over.
After World War II he was assigned various duties and stations commensurate with his rank. These were in the U.S. and overseas. Included were: As Instructor in a Naval ROTC program at the University of New Mexico, Commanding Officer of a Marine detachment on a cruiser, Basic School Institute at Quantico, VA, Student at Junior and Senior Staff Schools, Headquarters USME Staff, Battalion Commander overseas and Executor Officer of an Infantry Regiment, Aide de Camp to Commanding General of FMFLANT as well as on the Staff of CINCPAC in Hawaii.
His Military Commendations included: The Navy Cross; A Bronze Star with a "V"; two Purple Hearts; and two Presidential Unit Citations.
He returned at Camp Pendleton as a Lieutenant Colonel in January 1968.
He was employed by the California State Compensation Insurance Fund in Santa Ana, CA.
He loved to play golf, and ride horses.
He regularly attended the Men's Fellowship of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, CA. He co-chaired The Golf Committee for several years. He was a greeter there for many years.
He leaves to mourn his wife, Nancy of Irvine, CA; a sister, Ruth Galvin in Hayward, CA; three sisters-in-law in South Dakota; and many nieces and nephews, as well as great nieces and great nephews.
Services will be held May 12, 2017 at 1:00pm in the Chapel at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church with a reception following.
Burial will be at a later date in the Black Hills National Cemetery, in South Dakota.
Memorial Gifts can be made to: "The Men's Fellowship of St Andrews Presbyterian Church" 600 St. Andrews Road, Newport Beach, CA 92663 or to: "Marines Toys for Tots Foundation" Attention: H.P. Osman, Lt. General USMC, Ret. CEO, 18251 Quantico Gateway Drive, Triangle, VA 22172.