The Personal Collection of Colonel Claude S. Buchanan
Who is
Claude S. Buchanan?
A remarkable man's life story.
Claude Sharp Buchanan was born on November 23rd, 1890, to his mother, Matilda Sharp Buchanan, and his father, Claude Robinson Buchanan, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. When Claude was only one year of age, his brother Dwight Gilbert was born sometime in March of 1892. However, Dwight did not survive and unfortunately passed on September 9th, 1892. After graduating High School at Central High School, Grand Rapids in 1911, Claude entered the University of Michigan at the age of 22. There, Claude would meet Ruth Eldora Parrent in his freshman year. The two were married on December 24th, 1913, and would be until Ruth's passing in 1960.
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In 1917, Claude Sharp Buchanan was loaned to the Aviation Section of the Army Signal Corps by the engineering department of the Dodge Motor Car Company, a notable manufacturing partner for WWI war efforts. In this position, located in Washington, DC, he acted as a consultant in connection with the meticulous design and production of the Liberty 12A aircraft engine. It was primarily used in warplanes such as the American-manufactured De Havilland DH-4, the De Havilland DH-9A, and various varieties of Curtiss and Caproni biplane models. The Liberty 12A engine was well-regarded as a powerhouse crucial to an aerial attack and ultimate victory. Back at home in Detroit, Michigan, Ruth would welcome a baby girl, Ruth Charlotte Buchanan, on July 19th, 1917. The news was broken to Claude via Western Union Telegram, announcing that "EIGHT POUND DAUGHTER MOTHER AND BABY DOING NICELY."
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From 1921 to 1928, Buchanan served as a project engineer responsible for observation aircraft (XC-1 through XC-36) and light bombers (XLB-1 through XLB-10). During this time, he was also commissioned as a Reserve Captain in the War Planning Section, which allowed him to explore technical leadership coupled with military responsibility.
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In September 1931, Claude S. Buchanan pursued legal education at the University of Dayton’s Night Law School. Over the next five years, he earned registration as a patent attorney (1934), his LL.B. (1935), and a Master of Patent Law (1936). After completing his studies, Buchanan handled government defense against civil lawsuits involving patent infringement on behalf of the U.S. Air Corps.
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In May 1940, he was promoted to Major. He was assigned to the Patents Branch of the Judge Advocate Section of Air Materiel Command at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio, continuing his legal and technical contributions to military aviation.
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From July 1942 to August 1945, Buchanan entered extended active duty. He first served as Executive Officer at Pendleton Field, Oregon, then moved to Ogden Air Service Command as Executive Officer of the 60th Service Group, also serving as technical inspector and Chief of Depot Supply Inspection. Later, he was stationed in Hawaii at the Hawaiian Air Depot and subsequently transferred overseas to Tokyo, Japan. For his work as Chief of Supply Inspection, he was awarded the Bronze Star. During his time in Hawaii, he also acted as Judge Advocate at HAWAMA, Hickam Field.
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From 1945 to 1949, Buchanan served at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He worked as Legal Advisor to the Intelligence Division of the Materiel Command before becoming Deputy of the 5th District, Office of Special Investigation. In January 1949, he was transferred to the 14th Air Force in Orlando. There, he first handled technical inspection duties before becoming Director of Military Personnel and Procurement.
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Following the deactivation of Orlando Air Force Base in October 1949, Buchanan was reassigned to Hamilton Air Force Base in California while maintaining his residence in Winter Park, Florida. Over the years, his military career reflected a rare combination of engineering expertise, legal acumen, and military leadership spanning the course of over more than four decades of service. He would remain in Winter Park until he faced his final war, this time with prostate cancer. Claude S. Buchanan, the man behind Mission Memory, died on March 9th, 1982. He was buried alongside Ruth Eldora Buchanan in Glen Haven Memorial Park and Mausoleum.
Claude's Service Timeline
AUGUST TO SEPTEMBER,
1917
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Claude was loaned to the Aviation Section of the Army Signal Corps by the engineering department of Dodge Motor Co. to act as a consultant in connection with the production of the Liberty L-12 aircraft engine.
SEPTEMBER 1917 TO 1921
Entered Federal Civil Service in Washington, DC.
During WWI, Claude acted as assistant to the Chief of the engineering branch.
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Afterward, Claude was an assistant to Lt. Col. N. Montieth, Chief, Airplane Branch whom he co-authored the first West Point textbook on aerodynamics.
1921 TO 1928
Project engineer in charge of observation (XO-1 through 36) and light bomber (XLB-1 through 10).
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Claude was also commissioned as a reserve Captain in the War Planning Section.
MAY 1940
In May of 1940, Claude was promoted to Major.
He was then transferred to the Patents Branch of the Judge Advocate Section of Air Material Command at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio.
SEPTEMBER 1931 – JUNE 1936
Claude attended Night Law School at the University of Dayton, obtained registration as a patent attorney (July 1934), LLB degree (June 1935), and MPL (Master of Patent Law) (June 1936).
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Afterwards, he assumed the preparation of governmental defense against civil suits alleging patent infringement by the then US Air Corps.
JULY 1942 TO AUGUST 1945
In this time period, Claude entered extended active duty. He was sent to Pendleton Field, Oregon, and served as Executive Officer.
Then, he was transferred to Ogden Air Service Command and served as Executive Officer of the 60th Service Group technical inspector, and Chief of Depot Supply Inspection.
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Later on, he was transferred overseas to Tokyo, Japan. He was stationed at the
Hawaiian Air Depot and held the position of Chief of Supply Inspection. For this, he received the Bronze Star Award. Alongside his time in Hawaii, he served as a Judge Advocate at HAWAMA, Hickam Field.
1945-1949
At Wright-Patterson AFB, Claude served as a Legal Advisor to the Intelligence Division of the Material Command, then Deputy of the 5th District, Office of Special Investigation.
JANUARY 1949
Claude was transferred to the 14th Air Force (Orlando),
first handling technical inspection, and then becoming Director of Military Personnel and Procurement.
OCTOBER 1949
The deactivation of Orlando Air Force Base took place in October of 1949. Due to this, he was transferred to Hamilton AFB in California but still maintained his Winter Park residence.