First Name: Michael
Last Name: McBurmette
Middle Initial: H
Date of Birth: 10/17/1945
Sex: Male
Martial Status: Not Sure
Number of Children: Yes
Home Town: Sugar Land, Texas
Education Completed: Not Sure
Other Occupations:
Branch of Service: Air Force
Highest Rank: Sgt.
Serial Number: N/A
Platoon: N/A
Age at Start of Service: Over 21
Years of Service: 4
Combat Veteran: Yes
Time in Combat: Not Sure
Place of Combat: N/A
Awards:
Date of Suicide: 01/1995
Suicide Method: Carbon Monoxide poisoning
Veteran’s Story: My mentor and friend, Michael Henry Mc Burnette born on Oct. 17, 1945 in Louisiana. Helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War. His helicopter was hit by enemy fire and crashed. Mike was the only survivor.All thirteen of his buddies were killed. He suffered from Survivor guilt, and depression for years. He also battled addictions to alcohol and nicotine and food. He was divorced twice. Mike had two daughters.Mike or Mac, as we lovingly called him at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice-I.D. the Central unit, counseled and helped many alcoholics and addicts who were inmates there. He was a Substance Abuse Counselor for over ten years. Mac touched many lives in his fifty years. We love and miss him very much. He committed suicide on January 20, 1995 in Sugar Land, Texas by carbon monoxide poisoning. I got the call at 4:00am from the Central unit.The guard at the radio picket asked me if I was Mrs. Brown. I told him yes. He asked me if I was on the Trauma Team at the unit. I told him yes, but asked him why. He told me that Mr. Mac had passed away at his home in Sugar Land, Texas. I immediately thought that he probably had a heart attack, because he did have heart problems. I had just seen and ate lunch with him the week before. He seemed fine to us all. I found out later from Warden William Winkler that he had been found in his truck, that he loved so much.Mike had put the hose! into his truck to where he would die of carbon monoxide poisoning. The Warden told me that they had to break the glass to get him out of the truck, and his gun was on the seat beside him. He had just become divorced a few months before his death. No one really knew the pain that he carried inside except him. Mike helped to get 12 Step meetings for Vietnam Vets at the Jester III unit, where a lot of handicapped, addicts are incarcerated behind their crimes to support their addictions. Thank you God, for giving us Mike for the few years that we had him in our lives. God bless all the Veterans today and everyday. Love, Sally B.
Submitted By: Sally Frederick Brown
Relationship to Veteran: Friend
