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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

John Alan Northcott, Jr. was born 14 June 1951 in Morristown, New Jersey. He attended Morris Knolls High School, and upon graduation in 1970 enrolled at South Georgia Technical School, Americus, Georgia until April 1972 when he joined the United States Marine Corps.

Upon graduation from Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina in July 1972 Private First Class Northcott held several assignments both stateside and overseas and was promoted through the ranks to Sergeant during these early years. In October 1975 he returned to the United States to reenlist and made a lateral move into Marine Aviation. Assigned as a Basic Helicopter student at NAS Millington, Tennessee, Sergeant Northcott completed his schooling and was transferred to Detachment, Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron, Marine Air Group 16, MCAF, Camp Pendleton, California as a Power Plants Mechanic in March 1976.

In June of that same year, Sergeant Northcott was reassigned within Det MAG-16 to Marine Light Helicopter Squadron 267. While assigned to HML-267, Sergeant Northcott initially qualified as a UH-1E Helicopter Crew Chief and Aerial Gunner participating in several unit deployments to Okinawa, Japan, and deployed aboard the USS Tarawa and USS Duluth.

From March 1981 through August 1989 Staff Sergeant Northcott was again assigned to various billets both stateside and overseas and was promoted through the ranks to Master Sergeant. In August 1989 Master Sergeant Northcott was assigned as the Aircraft Maintenance Chief with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268, Marine Air Group 16, MCAS, Tustin, California. In November 1990, HMM-268 became a composite squadron and was deployed aboard the USS New Orleans as part of Marine Air Group 50, Fifth Marine Expeditionary Brigade in route to Operation Desert Shield in Southwest Asia. Upon arrival in Southwest Asia, Master Sergeant Northcott's squadron was stationed off the coast of Kuwait until the commencement of Operation Desert Storm when HMM-268 (C) SOC disembarked to Tananjb, Saudi Arabia and participated in combat action during the liberation of Kuwait. September 1991 returned Master Sergeant Northcott to MCAS, Tustin, California and in February 1993 he was ordered to Quantico, Virginia as the Executive Flight Detachment, Aircraft Maintenance Chief with Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) maintaining and flying "Marine One" in support of President William Jefferson Clinton, 42nd President of the United States.

Master Gunnery Sergeant Northcott was promoted in February 1994. In July 1997, Master Gunnery Sergeant Northcott was selected to become the "Aircraft Maintenance Chief of the Marine Corps." In October of that year Master Gunnery Sergeant Northcott was transfer to Headquarters, United States Marine Corps, Department of Aviation, The Pentagon, Washington, DC where he served until his retirement in May 2002.

After a 30 plus year career in Marine aviation, he became the Director of Facilities with Aviation Facilities Company, Inc., working at the corporate offices in McLean, Virginia. During the years of flying throughout Master Gunnery Sergeant's career he logged over 4,300 flight hours in the UH-34D, UH-1E & N, AH-1G, J, T, & W, CH-46E, CH-53D & E, VH-1D, and VH-60N Helicopters and the MV-22 Tiltrotor Aircraft. Master Gunnery Sergeant Northcott's aviation decorations include the Air Medal w/Numeral "1," the Air Force Achievement Medal, Naval Air Crew Insignia, Naval Combat Aircrew Insignia w/3 Gold Stars, and the Presidential Service Badge.