John E McGilchrist was born in the Bronx, New York on December 9, 1942. He was the third child of Horatio and Myrtle McGilchrist. He attended Saint Anthony of Padua and graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx. John entered Iona College in New Rochelle, New York on a Track Scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in 1964. While at Iona, he was named one of the top ten sprinters in the New York City metropolitan area.

On September 5, 1965, John was drafted into the United States Army. He entered Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers on August 5, 1966. From March 1967 to March 1968 Lieutenant McGilchrist served as a platoon leader and later as a company commander with the 815th Engineer Battalion in the Republic of South Vietnam. Upon returning to the United States, Lieutenant McGilchrist was assigned to the Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia as an instructor and promoted to the rank of Captain.  While on active duty John received the Bronze Star medal for action against hostile forces in South Vietnam and the Army Commendation medal for his outstanding work at the Engineer School.

On July 19, 1969, Captain John E McGilchrist married Cynthia Sims. Shortly thereafter, upon leaving the service, the couple moved to New York and began to raise a family. In 1972, the young family moved to Hackensack, New Jersey. In 1980 the family, including two sons Troy and Anthony, relocated to Teaneck.

As a civilian, John pursued a career in the cosmetic industry, where he became a well-known packaging professional. Throughout his lengthy career, John worked in purchasing, quality control, package development, and production. He worked for multiple companies, such as Coty, Houbigant, Avon, Revlon, and L’Oreal.  

Once in Jersey, it was not long before he got involved with the New Jersey National Guard. While in the Guard, he became a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College. John served over 19 years, in a number of assignments, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In October of 1992 John retired from the Guard with 23 years of active service.   

The McGilchrist family still resides in Teaneck. John has been involved with many organizations including the Knights of Columbus, Teaneck Youth Basketball, Christian Youth Organization, Parish Council of Holy Trinity Church in Hackensack, and various committees for the Teaneck Town Council, including Chairing Teaneck’s Patriotic Observance Advisory Board.

Thank you for your service, Mr. McGilchrist.