Raymond A. Madson

Raymond A. Madson, Lt. Col. USAF, Retired, age 82 passed away March 13, 2014 after a long battle with cancer. He is preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Lavelma Madson of Aztec, a brother Homer Madson, and daughter Patricia Madson-Smith. He is survived by his wife, Doris Madson; his daughter, Cynthia Medina (Greg), Taos, New Mexico; a grandson, Jacob Lewis Smith, New York, New York; a sister Mary Ellen Hill (Gus), Los Lunas, New Mexico; and a brother, Lloyd Madson (Pam), Aztec, New Mexico. Col. Madson's military career was a series of memorable assignments. Throughout his career, he was stationed at Wright-Patt AFB, Dayton, Ohio; Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage, Alaska; Davis-Monthon AFB/University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona; School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks AFB, San Antonio, Texas; then again at Wright-Patt AFB, Dayton, Ohio. He had specialized training in: 1.) Basic Airborne Infantry Course - Ft. Benning, Georgia, 2.) Airborne Infantry Jumpmaster Course - Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 3.) Squadron Officers School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 4.) Management Training Program for Air Force Supervisors - Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, 5.) Command and Staff Collage - Wright-Patt AFB, Ohio. From 1953 to 1959 anthropomorphic dummies were used by the U.S. Air Force Aero Medical Lab as part of the high altitude aircraft escape projects known as "High Dive" and "Excelsior". The object of these studies was to devise a method to return an astronaut to earth by parachute. Tests were conducted in the areas surrounding the Tularosa Valley/White Sands Proving Grounds and Wright-Patt AFB. Dummies were flown to high altitude attached to a specially designed rack built and tested by Col. Madson who was a project officer for the "High Dive" and "Excelsior" projects. These dummy drops lead to Capt. Kittinger's exit from the Excelsior III balloon gondola at a record 102,800 feet. When NASA issued a call for volunteers for its Project Mercury Space Pressure Evaluation program in May of 1959, Col. Madson was one of four men selected to participate in the physical testing and evaluation of the International Latex and BF Goodrich proposed spacesuits. There were numerous, and physically exhausting, environmental tests to check the suits for comfort over long periods of time, and for hotspots under continuous and extremely high temperature. Tests were also conducted to check the ability of the person to manipulate instruments while in the proposed suits, and the effects of centrifugal forces on said suits. Col. Madson's belief in, and dedication to, the NASA program helped Col. John Glenn to make the first U.S. human space mission possible, as well as all future space flights programs and the astronauts who participated in them. During the Vietnam conflict, under heavy fire, Col. Madson made five-plus aero-medical evacuation flights over the county to identify microbiological hazards of wounded patients. His corrective action as recommended resulted in a cleaner and healthier evacuations for our wounded troops. Col. Madson's last active duty assignment was in the Foreign Technology Division evaluating ejection seat injuries of foreign and U.S. pilots. After retiring from active service, he was employed by the New Mexico Environment Department in the district field office of Milan, New Mexico. As a side note, in the U.S. Government documentary "The Roswell Report, Case Closed" there appears a world famous photo of two lieutenant supporting a fully clothed, six foot, life-sized , 200 pound high altitude dummy. Col. Madson is supporting the right side of that dummy. Capt. McAndrews, the author of "The Roswell Report, Case Closed", drew the conclusion that the life-sized dummies used in the high altitude dummy drops at Holloman AFB were the "aliens" recovered at Roswell. Col. Madson's hobbies were singing, gardening, and fly fishing. He was gifted at birth with a pure, beautiful tenor singing voice which he faithfully shared. For four years, Col. Madson sang with the San Antonio Symphony Master Singers under the direction of Roger Malone. He participated in community and church choirs wherever he was stationed, and contributed to local and state-wide male quartets as the lead singer. Col. Madson was highly respected by his peers, and greatly loved by his family and friends. His presence will be sorely missed here on earth. Until our eternal souls meet once again...Good Bye. Interment will be held on Thursday, March 27, 2014 at 1:30 PM at the Santa Fe National Cemetery with full military honors. THIS OBITUARY IS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT LAWS, UNAUTHORIZED USE OR DUPLICATION IS PROHIBITED.