Ronald Dale McAdoo was born in Sikeston, MO, the only child of Dwight Winslow McAdoo and Ruth Isabelle McAdoo. At Bloomfield High School, Ron was a standout athlete on the basketball and baseball teams, and he played saxophone in the band. Ron loved playing pool, spending hours in the local pool hall and fancying himself a “hustler.” At his mom’s request, he sang solos at church and was active in scouting, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.
Ron received his congressional appointment to West Point from Representative Paul C. Jones, 10th District of Missouri. Ron entered the Academy in July 1965. A good athlete, Ron was often found playing basketball at the gym, where he is remembered as having a “sweet jump shot.” He was grateful that his mother insisted he sing at church, as he was a three-year member of the Cadet Glee Club and enjoyed immensely its frequent trips away from the Academy. As with most cadets, he had a few unpleasant encounters with the Tactical Department; one caused him to miss the Notre Dame trip.
Ron met the love of his life, Christine Lamont Moore, on a blind date in the summer of 1967 in Chestertown, MD. Ron and Chrissy were married three days after graduation on the afternoon of June 7, 1969 in Chestertown. Coincidentally, Chrissy’s sister, Jenny, married Ron’s classmate Dennis Nishida earlier that morning.
Ron was commissioned Signal Corps, attending the Signal Officer Basic Course at Fort Gordon, GA and then Jump School at Fort Benning, GA. Following a year at Fort Bragg, NC as a platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Signal Battalion, Ron attended flight school at Fort Wolters, TX and at Fort Rucker, AL for rotary-wing training on the TH-55 and the UH-1. In November 1971 Ron deployed to Vietnam, where he flew 3,200 hours, including 790 combat hours.
In 1973, Ron transferred to Military Intelligence and completed Military Intelligence Officer Basic at Fort Devens, MA. In January 1975, Ron relocated to Fort Huachuca AZ, attending the Military Intelligence Officer Advanced Course and then returning to Fort Rucker for fixed-wing transition in the RU-21. Ron then assumed command of the Aerial Exploitation Company at Fort Bliss, TX. By 1976, Ron and Chrissy had welcomed their three girls: Phyllis, Heather, and Jocelyn.
In 1979, Ron was assigned to Camp Humphreys, Korea. Upon completion, Ron was assigned to the National Capital Region and in 1980 obtained his master’s in operations research from George Washington University. Ron spent the next three years in a utilization assignment with the Army’s Concepts and Analysis Office in Bethesda, MD. In 1983 Ron transferred to the Aviation branch and in 1985 attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA.
From 1985 to 1987, Ron was back in Korea on an “accompanied tour,” where Ron and Chrissy adopted their two boys, Kenny and Doug. Ron, an only child, was thrilled with a large family and was a wonderful father to his five children.
Ron’s professionalism and dedication were rewarded when, in 1987, he assumed command of the 15th MI Battalion (Nighthawks) at Fort Hood, TX. Ron considered his two years in command as the best of his career. Following command, in 1990 Ron returned to Washington, DC, where his assignments included service as Division Chief in Army DCSOPS (D3), Director of Operational Evaluation of all Army Intelligence and Electronic Warfare, leading the integration of Unmanned Aerial Systems into the Army’s IEW force. He was an advisor to Army Vice Chief of Staff regarding emerging technologies.
Ron retired from active duty as a colonel in 1995. Upon retirement, Ron became a manager with BDM Engineering Services Company, advising the Army leadership on the effectiveness and suitability of low aerial reconnaissance systems in the early stages of crisis situations.
From 1996 to 2013, Ron worked for SCITOR Corporation. His position included advising the air staff on airborne reconnaissance systems, including the Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft system.
Ron retired to private life in 2013, remaining in Fairfax, VA to spend more time with his family and his love for music. In 1993, Ron had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma which was considered incurable. In fact, following treatment, Ron had no further recurrence of the lymphoma. In 2015, however, Ron was diagnosed with metastatic esophageal cancer that resulted in his passing within just a few months. That August, his family and friends, including several of his West Point classmates, attended a moving memorial service in Fairfax. Ron’s remains were laid to rest the following year, with military honors, at the West Point Columbarium. A guard of honor of companymates from F-2 and G-2 was in attendance.
Ron was the ultimate officer, serving his nation selflessly. One of his biggest professional disappointments was that he missed the deployment of his Nighthawks Battalion to Operation Desert Storm. Ron’s military awards included the Legion of Merit (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Bronze Star (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Meritorious Service Medal (5 Oak Leaf Clusters), and Air Medal (17 Oak Leaf Clusters).
Ron’s words to his classmates:
“In all that I have done and wherever I have been, I have endeavored to uphold the values of Duty, Honor, Country and the tenets of the Cadet Prayer. Although I don’t participate much in class activities, I remain in touch with a number of classmates and am proud to be a West Pointer and a member of the ‘Best of the Line.’”