Mr. James McKoane

Military Service: Army
1954 – 1984

Infantry and finance qualifiedAs the owner of Clawson Honda, Clawson Motorsports, and Clawson Truck Center, the patriarch of the McKoane family quietly spoke of his 29 years and 4 months of service for his country. Over a ten-year period of time, his training and educational achievements included Advanced Infantry School, Advanced Finance Officers School, and Command and General Staff College.Jim had orders to go to Korea, but he caught pneumonia and the ship sailed without him. Once he was well, Jim was sent to Frankfurt, Germany, and that is where he married his lovely wife, Lee McKoane.

Jim stated, “I was Company Commander, during the height of the Vietnam War, and if we had been called up, we would have been right in the middle of the battle. I was lucky.” Jim wasn’t called to battle, and spent the mid 50’s in Germany, then Alaska, and Fort Ord in 1968. Jim spent most of his time in the Reserve and National Guard, and received the Military Service Medal for Outstanding Service.

When Jim’s son, Larry, enlisted, Jim gave him his Commission, and with honor and pride- of- service said, “I’m happy that I served our country, and would do it all over again.”

Larry McKoane

Vice President, McKoane Enterprises
President, Clawson Honda
Colonel, Vice Chief of Staff of the California Army and Air National Guard Joint Staff
United States Air Force/California Air Nation Guard Joint Staff
1983- 2015

Some people spend years in school to figure out what they want to do in life. That’s not the case for Larry McKoane. He recalls, “I was six years old, and was getting ready to see the Blue Angels perform. That was the day I knew that I would be a pilot.” The Blue Angels inspired Larry to pursue his passion and he achieved success in his career and his life due to his involvement in the United State Air Force.Being part of the military, Larry believes that you achieve a higher level of self-discipline, you certainly learn how to multi task, and you find that an individual’s character is most important. Larry’s leadership skills, discipline, detail, organization and follow through were developed through the highly detailed process of every mission he was involved in.

• Brief the mission, and establish a game plan
• Execute the mission
• Debrief the mission

For Larry, by following these same procedures in the private sector, he has become a stronger and more effective manager and leader at Clawson Honda of Fresno, Clawson Motorsports and Clawson Truck Center.

When asked if any of his children have shown a passion for flying, Larry said, “Well, when I was 20 I enlisted, and now, 33 years later, my youngest daughter who is 20 is thinking about following in my footsteps. The United States Air Force is an excellent career. When she first started flying, I told her that safety is a key issue, and she really has to want this. Being a fighter pilot is a commitment to a lot of hard work. Of course, you’ll have your good days and bad days but when you adhere to the game plan, through constant repetitious training, you get to that higher level.”

As a fighter pilot, the energy levels run so high during the mission, Larry explained, “that you really don’t have the time to enjoy it until you are back on the ground.” Soon we may have a third generation of the McKoane family proudly protecting and serving our country. Thank you for your service Larry, and we are happy you are back on the ground.

Mr. Mac McLellan

Sergeant E-5
1968 – 1972

At 17 years of age, Mac needed his parents to sign for him to enlist in the United States Air Force. Even though four years felt like it would be forever, Mac’s desire to travel outweighed any apprehension, and if you have ever heard stories about how good the food is…Mac can testify to that. He entered the United States Air Force at 5’ 8”, weighing 130 pounds. But after six weeks of training, he had grown 6 inches and stood 6’2” and was a still a very thin 130 pounds. “The Air Force had fabulous food, that’s probably why I grew so quickly”, Mac remembered with a smile. “It made me grow up. All of a sudden you find yourself in the Military…and you are on your own. That alone will make you mature. “Mac’s military service included traveling to Texas; he spent a year in Denang, Vietnam, and then safely returned to Norton Air Force Base, In San Bernardino, California. He was trained as an instructor, teaching air transportation, and also played basketball and baseball for the United States Air Force.

With Mac’s four years of military service, he qualified for the right to use the G.I. Bill, and that provided him with the opportunity to attend college and continue to play baseball. He learned the true meaning of respect, to always be on time, and believes the United States military is a fantastic opportunity for personal growth, and wishes that every man had the chance to serve our country.

James Duran

Used Car Sales Manager

Mr. James Duran, with an interest in law enforcement, enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1986. He was in the Police Academy and was part of the Security Police Force stationed at Edwards Air Force Base, where testing of many new military air craft and systems were conducted. Their mission was to protect the flight line, and all military and civilian personnel. As the second largest Air Force Base in the world, there wasn’t much that James didn’t see: new air craft, rockets, B1 and B2 Bombers as well as numerous Nasa Space Shuttle landings.Through his four years of service, he learned all the things that make him the man he is today. The tough discipline, structure, and respect taught him to be humble. The Air Force is where he learned that nothing is to be taken for granted; everything has a purpose; every mission needs to be completed and, to always pay attention to detail. James reflected, “Being a young man in the Air Force, I saw and did things that most young people will never see or experience. Knowing that you can be deployed to anywhere in the world in a moment’s notice taught me to respect and enjoy the simple things in life. I am very proud that I served our country. I feel like I am part of a big family.”

Jake Shaw

California State National Guard 2009-2015
Clawson Truck Center

Starting as an Infantry Man, and then moving to Forward Observer, Jake Shaw traveled a lot, and his last two years of service were spent in Fresno with the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB). On a federal level, the CAB conducts post mobilization training, deploys and conducts logistics support and supervision of aviation brigade operations. For the state of California, the CAB protects the public safety of the citizens by providing military assistance to civil authorities during national disasters and other emergencies.When asked why he enlisted, Jake said, “Serving my country was a path to better myself through the opportunities of advanced education.” He continued, “Coming from a broken home, I was given the opportunity to learn leadership skills, selflessness, and how to adapt and overcome life situations. “

Jake recalled with pride receiving three achievement medals, the Army Accommodation Medal, a Commanders Coin, and being recognized as shot “expert” while serving the United States. He continued, “It all boils down to have the drive and commitment to fulfill a task at hand. My goal, is to never say I will try, but to always do the best that I can.”