Timothy John Fitzgerald McCoy (April 10, 1891 â€" January 29, 1978)
was an American actor, military officer, and expert on American Indian
life and customs. He was also known as Colonel T.J. McCoy.The son of
an Irishman who was a Union Civil War soldier, and who later became
police chief in Saginaw, Michigan, McCoy became a film star most noted
for his roles in B-grade Western films. He was so popular with
youngsters as a cowboy star that he appeared on the cover of Wheaties
cereal boxes.He attended St. Ignatius College (now Loyola University),
and after seeing a Wild West show there left school and found work on
a ranch in Wyoming. He became an expert horseman and roper and
developed a knowledge of the ways and languages of the American Indian
tribes in the area. He competed in numerous rodeos, then enlisted in
the United States Army when America entered World War I.McCoy was a
soldier in the United States Army during World War I (although he did
not serve in combat nor overseas) and again in World War II in Europe,
rising to the rank of colonel with the Army Air Corps and Army Air
Forces. He also served the state of Wyoming as its adjutant general
between the wars with the brevet rank of brigadier general. At 28, he
was one of the youngest brigadier generals in the history of the U.S.
Army.
was an American actor, military officer, and expert on American Indian
life and customs. He was also known as Colonel T.J. McCoy.The son of
an Irishman who was a Union Civil War soldier, and who later became
police chief in Saginaw, Michigan, McCoy became a film star most noted
for his roles in B-grade Western films. He was so popular with
youngsters as a cowboy star that he appeared on the cover of Wheaties
cereal boxes.He attended St. Ignatius College (now Loyola University),
and after seeing a Wild West show there left school and found work on
a ranch in Wyoming. He became an expert horseman and roper and
developed a knowledge of the ways and languages of the American Indian
tribes in the area. He competed in numerous rodeos, then enlisted in
the United States Army when America entered World War I.McCoy was a
soldier in the United States Army during World War I (although he did
not serve in combat nor overseas) and again in World War II in Europe,
rising to the rank of colonel with the Army Air Corps and Army Air
Forces. He also served the state of Wyoming as its adjutant general
between the wars with the brevet rank of brigadier general. At 28, he
was one of the youngest brigadier generals in the history of the U.S.
Army.
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