Obituary of Frederic Maxwell Henderson

LTC Frederic M. Henderson, USA (retired), native American, parents Manuel and Luisa Henderson, born March 5, 1918, in Tucson, Arizona, died January 13, 2012, in Melbourne, Florida. He was a member of the Arizona National Guard, 1932-1936, and attended University of Arizona, completing his Bachelors degree at George Washington University. In December 1942 he was commissioned at Fort Benning, Georgia, and married Virginia L. McKee of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. First assigned to the Italian Prisoners of War Interrogation Camp in Morrocco, Fred was recruited by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) because of his exceptional language skills. When the Allies landed in Italy, he operated behind enemy lines to bring downed airmen across to safety. Hollywood made a film, The Scarlet and the Black, about a Vatican priest who hid escaped prisoners and arranged for their movement to friendly hands. One of those friendly hands was that of OSS officer, Fred Henderson. For security reasons, the movie never mentioned the rat lines organized by OSS that escorted these men across German lines, an extremely dangerous task. He received the Bronze Star with Valor, as well as numerous campaign and service medals. Many OSS officers joined Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) after the war. LTC Fred Henderson was one of them. He was considered one of the most talented linguists in the Agency who used his skills on numerous occasions, requiring him to face foreign agents while undercover. He completed various assignments in Madrid, Spain and Miami, Florida during the Cuban missile crisis. From 1970 to 1972, he was a counterintelligence officer in Vietnam. His accomplishments during 22 years of service will go unheralded, like all members of our nation's clandestine service. His combined 39 years of military duty and years of government service are evidence of his contribution to America's security which will never be forgotten. After his retirement, he and his wife lived in Spain, New Hampshire and settled in Indian Harbour Beach, Florida in 2000. He is survived by his wife, Virginia, of 69 years; his children, Virginia Corris (John), Elissa L. Henderson, Brian C. McKee Henderson (Vivian), Gina D. Cosgrove (James), Maria F. Henderson, and Claudia V. Henderson; twelve grandchildren, Amy Walton, Craig Corris, Mia Corcoran, Christopher Cosgrove, Kathleen Yacharn, Allyson Cosgrove, Victoria L. Davis, Sara Adelman, Alexis Henderson, Olivia Henderson, Erin Bates and Patrick Bates; and eleven great grandchildren. A funeral mass will be held Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 10:00 am at South Patrick Chapel, Patrick AFB, 854 Harrier Ave. Satellite Beach. Interment, with full military honors, will be at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia, in the near future. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to make expressions of sympathy might consider sending a charitable donation to The Fort Apache Heritage Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 507, Fort Apache, AZ 85929. "Our parting will not be for long; we shall see each other again in heaven. When He takes away what He once lent us, His purpose is to store our treasure elsewhere more safely." (St. Aloysius) May he rest in peace.