Brig. Gen. Michael Joseph McDermott, of Charleston, entered into eternal life on December 23, 2010, after a long illness. He was 63.
Born in Charleston, he was the son of the late Creighton Walter McDermott and Josephine Celeste Thomson McDermott.
General McDermott graduated from The Citadel and the National Defense University receiving bachelors and masters degrees.
He was a United States Army Vietnam Veteran, First Infantry Division serving as a forward observer where he earned his Combat Infantryman's Badge, Air Assault Badge and Black Beret.
Gen. McDermott served as the Southeastern Director of the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program as an appointee under the Reagan and Bush Administrations. He worked as a Congressional lobbyist for the organization and helped establish the Job Training Partnership Act and the Vietnam Veteran's Wall and monument in Washington. He joined the South Carolina State Guard as an E7 and rose to the rank of Brig. Gen. earning numerous awards and decorations to include the Meritorious Service Metal. His last command prior to retirement was the Third Brigade.
Gen. McDermott was also a past commander of the Sumter Guards, a member of the Washington Light Infantry, as well as being invested into the Military Order of St. Stanislaus and the Military Order of Swabia.
He was the owner and manager of the family business, W.W. Smith Company of Charleston until it's closing upon his retirement.
He is predeceased by his first wife, Joanne Francis Comar and is survived by his second wife, Anne Jennings McDermott, two sons, Michael John McDermott and Creighton Joseph McDermott, a brother and sister-in-law, Richard Allan and Pamela Smith McDermott, and two nieces, Caitlin McDermott and Sydney McDermott.
(Thank you, Anne Jennings McDermott for permission to reprint this obit.)
Interment was in Carolina Memorial Park, Charleston.
Burial:
Subsequently moved to Beaufort National Cemetery
Born in Charleston, he was the son of the late Creighton Walter McDermott and Josephine Celeste Thomson McDermott.
General McDermott graduated from The Citadel and the National Defense University receiving bachelors and masters degrees.
He was a United States Army Vietnam Veteran, First Infantry Division serving as a forward observer where he earned his Combat Infantryman's Badge, Air Assault Badge and Black Beret.
Gen. McDermott served as the Southeastern Director of the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program as an appointee under the Reagan and Bush Administrations. He worked as a Congressional lobbyist for the organization and helped establish the Job Training Partnership Act and the Vietnam Veteran's Wall and monument in Washington. He joined the South Carolina State Guard as an E7 and rose to the rank of Brig. Gen. earning numerous awards and decorations to include the Meritorious Service Metal. His last command prior to retirement was the Third Brigade.
Gen. McDermott was also a past commander of the Sumter Guards, a member of the Washington Light Infantry, as well as being invested into the Military Order of St. Stanislaus and the Military Order of Swabia.
He was the owner and manager of the family business, W.W. Smith Company of Charleston until it's closing upon his retirement.
He is predeceased by his first wife, Joanne Francis Comar and is survived by his second wife, Anne Jennings McDermott, two sons, Michael John McDermott and Creighton Joseph McDermott, a brother and sister-in-law, Richard Allan and Pamela Smith McDermott, and two nieces, Caitlin McDermott and Sydney McDermott.
(Thank you, Anne Jennings McDermott for permission to reprint this obit.)
Interment was in Carolina Memorial Park, Charleston.
Burial:
Subsequently moved to Beaufort National Cemetery
Brig. Gen. Michael Joseph McDermott, of Charleston, entered into eternal life on December 23, 2010, after a long illness. He was 63.
Born in Charleston, he was the son of the late Creighton Walter McDermott and Josephine Celeste Thomson McDermott.
General McDermott graduated from The Citadel and the National Defense University receiving bachelors and masters degrees.
He was a United States Army Vietnam Veteran, First Infantry Division serving as a forward observer where he earned his Combat Infantryman's Badge, Air Assault Badge and Black Beret.
Gen. McDermott served as the Southeastern Director of the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program as an appointee under the Reagan and Bush Administrations. He worked as a Congressional lobbyist for the organization and helped establish the Job Training Partnership Act and the Vietnam Veteran's Wall and monument in Washington. He joined the South Carolina State Guard as an E7 and rose to the rank of Brig. Gen. earning numerous awards and decorations to include the Meritorious Service Metal. His last command prior to retirement was the Third Brigade.
Gen. McDermott was also a past commander of the Sumter Guards, a member of the Washington Light Infantry, as well as being invested into the Military Order of St. Stanislaus and the Military Order of Swabia.
He was the owner and manager of the family business, W.W. Smith Company of Charleston until it's closing upon his retirement.
He is predeceased by his first wife, Joanne Francis Comar and is survived by his second wife, Anne Jennings McDermott, two sons, Michael John McDermott and Creighton Joseph McDermott, a brother and sister-in-law, Richard Allan and Pamela Smith McDermott, and two nieces, Caitlin McDermott and Sydney McDermott.
(Thank you, Anne Jennings McDermott for permission to reprint this obit.)
Interment was in Carolina Memorial Park, Charleston.
Burial:
Subsequently moved to Beaufort National Cemetery
Born in Charleston, he was the son of the late Creighton Walter McDermott and Josephine Celeste Thomson McDermott.
General McDermott graduated from The Citadel and the National Defense University receiving bachelors and masters degrees.
He was a United States Army Vietnam Veteran, First Infantry Division serving as a forward observer where he earned his Combat Infantryman's Badge, Air Assault Badge and Black Beret.
Gen. McDermott served as the Southeastern Director of the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program as an appointee under the Reagan and Bush Administrations. He worked as a Congressional lobbyist for the organization and helped establish the Job Training Partnership Act and the Vietnam Veteran's Wall and monument in Washington. He joined the South Carolina State Guard as an E7 and rose to the rank of Brig. Gen. earning numerous awards and decorations to include the Meritorious Service Metal. His last command prior to retirement was the Third Brigade.
Gen. McDermott was also a past commander of the Sumter Guards, a member of the Washington Light Infantry, as well as being invested into the Military Order of St. Stanislaus and the Military Order of Swabia.
He was the owner and manager of the family business, W.W. Smith Company of Charleston until it's closing upon his retirement.
He is predeceased by his first wife, Joanne Francis Comar and is survived by his second wife, Anne Jennings McDermott, two sons, Michael John McDermott and Creighton Joseph McDermott, a brother and sister-in-law, Richard Allan and Pamela Smith McDermott, and two nieces, Caitlin McDermott and Sydney McDermott.
(Thank you, Anne Jennings McDermott for permission to reprint this obit.)
Interment was in Carolina Memorial Park, Charleston.
Burial:
Subsequently moved to Beaufort National Cemetery
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