Edward John Manion was born to Joseph and Dorothy Manion in May 1956. He was a native of Cranston, RI. Eddie, as his family referred to him, was the youngest of six siblings with two older brothers and three older sisters. The Manions were a close Roman Catholic family. The first Christmas that they missed together was right after Eddie’s death. When Ed, as his West Point classmates called him, attended Cranston West High School, Class of 1974, he was a noted varsity track and basketball athlete, leading his track team to the district championship in 1973. Ed was determined to attend the United States Military Academy, and though initially turned down for appointment because of his low heart rate as a distance runner, he appealed and gained admission.
Ed was a loyal and caring classmate. Cadet Manion spent his first two years in Company D-2, was in 7th Company at Camp Buckner, and graduated from Company F-3. He kept a low profile and was diligent in his studies, running and scuba. Whether an example of caring leadership, the loyalty of a roommate in the daily trials of cadet life, or proudly showing off his hometown to classmates, Ed was a constant friend. He was positive, upbeat, and a selfless servant. He gladly stayed behind the day after graduation to serve as the best man in a roommate’s wedding. Ed proudly branched Infantry. After graduation, whether carrying an extra ruck for hours through the dark, flooded swamps of Florida to save a fellow Ranger, or strongly correcting a fellow officer who was out of line, Ed relentlessly pursued the harder right.
Lieutenant Manion served his first tour of duty at Fort Riley, KS in the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. He was there until 1982, then moved on through the Infantry Officer Advanced Course to his choice of assignment, the 101st Air Assault Division at Fort Campbell, KY. Captain Manion was at first the assistant operations officer of the 2d Brigade, 101st, but was then selected to be the adjutant of the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment (“Currahee”). This same battalion changed regimental designation in a ceremony at Fort Campbell to become the 3d Battalion, 502d Infantry Regiment (“Oh Deuce”). Ed was then awarded command of Company A, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry and destiny took over. Ed eagerly took command, infantry command being a goal of his since cadet days.
While at Fort Campbell, Ed was also destined to meet and marry his wife, Christine. He was detailed to support an event that Christine was running, and as she said, “I’d never met anyone quite like him, a man so intense, so strong.” She was an attractive teacher, ballet dancer, and black belt in karate. Edward Manion found the lady he had waited for. Edward and Christine married in August 1984 and immediately endured the hardships of Army life, field training time apart and inevitable adjustments to Army family life when the training was over. They had been married about 10 months when Edward deployed with his company to the Multinational Force and Observers mission in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. In the 10 months together at Fort Campbell, Edward had only been home on a daily basis for about three months. Edward and Christine treasured those times. Off he went to the Sinai desert with his company for the next six months.
Then the saga ensued which took Edward from Christine, his family, his soldiers and his classmates. The MFO mission contracted charter aircraft to transport soldiers to the Sinai and back. Both Edward and Christine expressed concern with the quality of the Arrow Air aircraft that lumbered down the runway at Fort Campbell enroute to Egypt. At the end of the mission, six months later, Edward would call Christine from the Cairo airport, where he and his soldiers were waiting to fly home. He was deeply concerned, even depressed, over the condition of the Arrow Air DC-8 that they were to return in. It was if he had received a premonition that he would not make it home. Nevertheless, despite his misgivings, Edward boarded Arrow Air Flight 1285, a DC-8 jetliner slated to fly via Cologne, Germany and Gander, Newfoundland to the United States. Flight 1285 made it to Gander and refueled on the morning of December 12, 1985. Captain Edward J. Manion of Company A, his battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Marvin Jeffcoat, USMA Class of 1965, and 246 other soldiers boarded their flight at Gander with eight crew members. The aircraft crashed just after takeoff with the loss of life of all aboard. Whatever the cause of the crash, Captain Edward J. Manion courageously led his soldiers into eternity.
Edward John Manion is remembered here by his classmates as a man of character and dedication. He was unwilling to ever give up on a cause despite the odds. His track coach in high school, Angelo Manili, said, “Eddie was an ideal person—I never once saw him get mad or talk bad about anyone.” Edward was a caring, compassionate Christian who loved to serve others. He showed the sure marks of a successful leader of combat arms. One of his USMA roommates simply said, “Ed was one of the most honorable men I have ever been blessed to know.” He was early onto the Memorial Rolls of the “Proud and Great” class, and there he remains to greet us as we cross over.
— Roommates William Graves and Dean Nowowiejski