Info Obituary - Myron E. "Mike" Squires
Died 16 October 2022 - see comments
Obituary
Myron “Mike” Edward Squires of Big Canoe, GA, passed away on Sunday, October 16, 2022, at the age of 89. After several months of declining health, Mike died peacefully with his beloved wife, Dale, and daughter, Sally, by his side.
Mike was born in Muskegon, MI, on September 6, 1933 to father Myron Sterling Squires and mother, Margaret Evelyn Weed. Mike had a twin sister, Myra “Pat” Evelyn Squires, and younger brother, Joel Sterling Squires. Mike lived in several places growing up as his father served 29 years in the U.S. Coast Guard. While his father served as the Command Officer of a Coast Guard ship homeported in St. Petersburg, FL, Mike went to high school where he met and fell in love with Helen Russell. On September 4, 1953, Mike married his high school sweetheart and in 1956, he graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. Helen and Mike had three children, Margaret “Betsy” Elizabeth Squires, Myron “Mike” Edward Squires Jr., and Sally Squires Belveal.
On July 20, 1956, Mike was commissioned in the U.S. Army as a Second Lieutenant. Serving over 20 years of honorable and valorous service, Mike retired July 31, 1976 as a Lieutenant Colonel. During the course of his Army career, Mike deployed on three year-long combat tours – one to Korea and two to Vietnam. Perhaps most notably, Mike served as a Primary Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrol Pilot in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967 flying Huey helicopters. During this time, Mike earned a reputation of saving countless lives by flying his Huey into thick enemy fire against all odds, and sometimes against orders, to exfiltrate U.S. Army reconnaissance teams pinned down by the enemy and facing a certain death. His courage and tenacity earned him two Distinguished Flying Crosses, three Bronze Stars, three Army Commendation Medals, and twenty Air Medals with valor “V” devices. In November 2021, Mike was officially inducted into the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame (for Valor) having been nominated by several of the men whose lives he had saved in Vietnam. However, you would never hear Mike speak a word of his service, combat tours, or heroic gallantry – he was a quiet and humble hero.
Following his retirement from the Army, Mike held a second dedicated career as the Clinic Administrator for the Family Medical Group of Cleveland, MS. His wife of 37 years, Helen, passed away of cancer in 1993. Mike later married Linda “Dale” Ayers of Royston, GA, who had similarly lost her husband to cancer at the same time. They helped each other grieve and went on to start a new life of traveling and retirement together.
For many years, Mike and Dale lived in Peachtree City, GA, where they got to watch three of their grandsons grow up. Fishing in Lake Kedron and watching Braves baseball were Mike’s favorite pastimes that he shared with his grandsons.
Mike was preceded in death by his parents Myron and Evelyn Squires, twin sister Pat, and wife Helen. Mike is survived by his wife Dale; brother and sister-in-law Joel and Linda Squires; niece Kristin Cacace; nephew John Squires; children Betsy Squires, Mike Squires Jr., and Sally Belveal; step-children Stacie and Hank Sloan, Chris and Lindsey Smith; grandchildren Christopher and Ioana Squires, Stephen and Brittany Squires, Brandon and Brandi Belveal, Bradley and Brittany Belveal, and Brian Belveal; step-grandchildren Macaila and Daniel Sloan, and Aiden, Riley, and Wylder Smith; and great-grandchildren Olivia Squires, Logan Squires, Allison Belveal, and Charlotte Belveal.
A graveside service is planned for 3:00 pm on Sunday, October 23, 2022, at Hillcrest Cemetery, TN-66, Dandridge, TN, where his late wife, Helen, is also buried.
In lieu of sending flowers, people wishing to honor Mike’s lifelong commitment to family and country can make a donation to the Georgia Military Veteran Hall of Fame at the following website: “https://gmvhof.org/donate/.”
Farrar Funeral Home in Dandridge, 865-397-2711 www.farrarfuneralhome.com
Comments
Herb Beasley:
Flying as your Door Gunner in Huey (65-9661) on all those LRRP infiltration I never worried about getting back to Base Camp alive. We had the Best Pilots in TRP D (AIR) 3RD SQDN 4TH CAV 25TH INFANTRY DIVISION and you, LTC Myron (Mike) Squires, you sir are the BEST of the BEST. Never forgotten but always in my memories. SP/4 Herbert (Rev) Beasley (1965 - 1967)
HERBERT DWAINE BEASLEY
Oct 21, 2022
Marshall Huckaby:
Losing LTC Squires leaves a hole in my heart. I first “personally” met Major Squires in the HOBO woods in Vietnam. Our LRRP was fighting a running gun battle in which there was no way we’d win. Due to heavy hostile fire, it was not wise to risk a helicopter and crew for a rescue attempt. Major Squires and his crew thought otherwise and us a hail of gunfire, they got us out. Major Squires’s motto was..”if I put you in..I’ll get you out”. We know that and he did numerous times. Honor and Respect
MARSHALL HUCKABY, 1SG(RET)
Oct 20, 2022
Richard Ellisoon:
I am alive today due to the bravery of Mike Squires. On multiple occasions he swept in and pulled us out when most certain death was imminent for our team. I have never met a more valorous individual and I am honored to have served with him.
RICHARD D ELLISON
Oct 21, 2022