Dan was married on July 12, 1932, at Duwamish, south Seattle, Washington, to Blanche Irene Crow.
Dan enlisted in the Army in 1929, serving in Manila and Shanghai in the 31st Infantry Division until 1932, as a part of the International Settlement agreement during the Japanese-Chinese war. Then he was posted to Fort Lewis, Washington, until 1942.
As a Captain in World War II Dan was one of twenty-six officers handpicked by General George Patten to serve on his staff. When war ended in Europe Dan was assigned to army of occupation duty at Heidelberg, Germany. Then he was promoted to Major and sent to the Orient, assigned to the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Division, for occupation duty.
When the Korean War started he was sent to Kaesong, where he joined the 1st Regiment and took part in the northern push to the Yalu River. Dan was chosen to be a liaison officer between the Army and Air Force, as an aerial observer. Experienced infantry officers were used for this hazardous duty due to their knowledge of troops, movement and materials. Flights were made in “Mosquito” and other small, unarmed planes. At times they would fly as low as 300 feet off the ground, and were in constant danger of being hit by enemy ground fire. During his flights he saw immense droves of refugees dressed in white fleeing along the highway parallel to the U.S. Army’s withdrawing troops. Dan reported these moving concentrations of people daily. It was determined these were disguised enemy troops wearing white robes over their uniforms and weapons, allowing them to blend in with the fleeing peasants, gather at night, attack U.S. troops, and move back to safety during the day. On April 1, 1951, he became the Battalion Executive Officer of the 5th Regiment. They were attacked by Chinese troops, having their lines of communication cut off, and isolated for 1½-days. During this time Dan became one of very few men to ever be made a Mason while behind the communist lines of the “Iron Curtain.” Dan returned to the United States in 1951. His regiment had captured over 5000 Chinese troops and killed an estimated 65,000. Dan personally counted 36 destroyed Russian tanks. Dan was entitled to wear a green tab on his epaulets, which signified “Combat Leader.” He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of Infantry and sent back to Germany, where he remained until retiring in 1956.
For his service in the Korean War Dan was decorated with: the LEGION OF MERIT (for “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services”), two DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS (for “gallantry and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight”), two BRONZE STAR with “V” (for “valor”), six AIR MEDAL (for “courage and meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight”), the ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL (for “Contributing to the success of operations of the 25th Division”), the DISTINGUISHED (PRESIDENTIAL) UNIT CITATION (for “heroic, unique, and valorous action in Korea”), and the REPUBLIC OF KOREA PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION (for “valor in Korea”). During World War II he had been awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (for “exemplary conduct in combat”), and before the war he was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal. His service medals include: the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (with three battle stars), Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (with both the “GERMANY” and “JAPAN” bars), National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal (with four battle stars), United Nations Service Medal (with “KOREA” bar), and two Armed Forces Reserve Medals.
Dan was a unique infantry officer; having earned during World War II all three theaters of operations campaign medals, and both theater bars to the Army of Occupation Medal, and being decorated during the Korean War eight times with air flight operations decorations, normally awarded only to airmen.
Dan enlisted in the Army in 1929, serving in Manila and Shanghai in the 31st Infantry Division until 1932, as a part of the International Settlement agreement during the Japanese-Chinese war. Then he was posted to Fort Lewis, Washington, until 1942.
As a Captain in World War II Dan was one of twenty-six officers handpicked by General George Patten to serve on his staff. When war ended in Europe Dan was assigned to army of occupation duty at Heidelberg, Germany. Then he was promoted to Major and sent to the Orient, assigned to the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Division, for occupation duty.
When the Korean War started he was sent to Kaesong, where he joined the 1st Regiment and took part in the northern push to the Yalu River. Dan was chosen to be a liaison officer between the Army and Air Force, as an aerial observer. Experienced infantry officers were used for this hazardous duty due to their knowledge of troops, movement and materials. Flights were made in “Mosquito” and other small, unarmed planes. At times they would fly as low as 300 feet off the ground, and were in constant danger of being hit by enemy ground fire. During his flights he saw immense droves of refugees dressed in white fleeing along the highway parallel to the U.S. Army’s withdrawing troops. Dan reported these moving concentrations of people daily. It was determined these were disguised enemy troops wearing white robes over their uniforms and weapons, allowing them to blend in with the fleeing peasants, gather at night, attack U.S. troops, and move back to safety during the day. On April 1, 1951, he became the Battalion Executive Officer of the 5th Regiment. They were attacked by Chinese troops, having their lines of communication cut off, and isolated for 1½-days. During this time Dan became one of very few men to ever be made a Mason while behind the communist lines of the “Iron Curtain.” Dan returned to the United States in 1951. His regiment had captured over 5000 Chinese troops and killed an estimated 65,000. Dan personally counted 36 destroyed Russian tanks. Dan was entitled to wear a green tab on his epaulets, which signified “Combat Leader.” He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of Infantry and sent back to Germany, where he remained until retiring in 1956.
For his service in the Korean War Dan was decorated with: the LEGION OF MERIT (for “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services”), two DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS (for “gallantry and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight”), two BRONZE STAR with “V” (for “valor”), six AIR MEDAL (for “courage and meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight”), the ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL (for “Contributing to the success of operations of the 25th Division”), the DISTINGUISHED (PRESIDENTIAL) UNIT CITATION (for “heroic, unique, and valorous action in Korea”), and the REPUBLIC OF KOREA PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION (for “valor in Korea”). During World War II he had been awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (for “exemplary conduct in combat”), and before the war he was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal. His service medals include: the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (with three battle stars), Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (with both the “GERMANY” and “JAPAN” bars), National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal (with four battle stars), United Nations Service Medal (with “KOREA” bar), and two Armed Forces Reserve Medals.
Dan was a unique infantry officer; having earned during World War II all three theaters of operations campaign medals, and both theater bars to the Army of Occupation Medal, and being decorated during the Korean War eight times with air flight operations decorations, normally awarded only to airmen.
Dan was married on July 12, 1932, at Duwamish, south Seattle, Washington, to Blanche Irene Crow.
Dan enlisted in the Army in 1929, serving in Manila and Shanghai in the 31st Infantry Division until 1932, as a part of the International Settlement agreement during the Japanese-Chinese war. Then he was posted to Fort Lewis, Washington, until 1942.
As a Captain in World War II Dan was one of twenty-six officers handpicked by General George Patten to serve on his staff. When war ended in Europe Dan was assigned to army of occupation duty at Heidelberg, Germany. Then he was promoted to Major and sent to the Orient, assigned to the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Division, for occupation duty.
When the Korean War started he was sent to Kaesong, where he joined the 1st Regiment and took part in the northern push to the Yalu River. Dan was chosen to be a liaison officer between the Army and Air Force, as an aerial observer. Experienced infantry officers were used for this hazardous duty due to their knowledge of troops, movement and materials. Flights were made in “Mosquito” and other small, unarmed planes. At times they would fly as low as 300 feet off the ground, and were in constant danger of being hit by enemy ground fire. During his flights he saw immense droves of refugees dressed in white fleeing along the highway parallel to the U.S. Army’s withdrawing troops. Dan reported these moving concentrations of people daily. It was determined these were disguised enemy troops wearing white robes over their uniforms and weapons, allowing them to blend in with the fleeing peasants, gather at night, attack U.S. troops, and move back to safety during the day. On April 1, 1951, he became the Battalion Executive Officer of the 5th Regiment. They were attacked by Chinese troops, having their lines of communication cut off, and isolated for 1½-days. During this time Dan became one of very few men to ever be made a Mason while behind the communist lines of the “Iron Curtain.” Dan returned to the United States in 1951. His regiment had captured over 5000 Chinese troops and killed an estimated 65,000. Dan personally counted 36 destroyed Russian tanks. Dan was entitled to wear a green tab on his epaulets, which signified “Combat Leader.” He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of Infantry and sent back to Germany, where he remained until retiring in 1956.
For his service in the Korean War Dan was decorated with: the LEGION OF MERIT (for “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services”), two DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS (for “gallantry and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight”), two BRONZE STAR with “V” (for “valor”), six AIR MEDAL (for “courage and meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight”), the ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL (for “Contributing to the success of operations of the 25th Division”), the DISTINGUISHED (PRESIDENTIAL) UNIT CITATION (for “heroic, unique, and valorous action in Korea”), and the REPUBLIC OF KOREA PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION (for “valor in Korea”). During World War II he had been awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (for “exemplary conduct in combat”), and before the war he was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal. His service medals include: the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (with three battle stars), Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (with both the “GERMANY” and “JAPAN” bars), National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal (with four battle stars), United Nations Service Medal (with “KOREA” bar), and two Armed Forces Reserve Medals.
Dan was a unique infantry officer; having earned during World War II all three theaters of operations campaign medals, and both theater bars to the Army of Occupation Medal, and being decorated during the Korean War eight times with air flight operations decorations, normally awarded only to airmen.
Dan enlisted in the Army in 1929, serving in Manila and Shanghai in the 31st Infantry Division until 1932, as a part of the International Settlement agreement during the Japanese-Chinese war. Then he was posted to Fort Lewis, Washington, until 1942.
As a Captain in World War II Dan was one of twenty-six officers handpicked by General George Patten to serve on his staff. When war ended in Europe Dan was assigned to army of occupation duty at Heidelberg, Germany. Then he was promoted to Major and sent to the Orient, assigned to the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Division, for occupation duty.
When the Korean War started he was sent to Kaesong, where he joined the 1st Regiment and took part in the northern push to the Yalu River. Dan was chosen to be a liaison officer between the Army and Air Force, as an aerial observer. Experienced infantry officers were used for this hazardous duty due to their knowledge of troops, movement and materials. Flights were made in “Mosquito” and other small, unarmed planes. At times they would fly as low as 300 feet off the ground, and were in constant danger of being hit by enemy ground fire. During his flights he saw immense droves of refugees dressed in white fleeing along the highway parallel to the U.S. Army’s withdrawing troops. Dan reported these moving concentrations of people daily. It was determined these were disguised enemy troops wearing white robes over their uniforms and weapons, allowing them to blend in with the fleeing peasants, gather at night, attack U.S. troops, and move back to safety during the day. On April 1, 1951, he became the Battalion Executive Officer of the 5th Regiment. They were attacked by Chinese troops, having their lines of communication cut off, and isolated for 1½-days. During this time Dan became one of very few men to ever be made a Mason while behind the communist lines of the “Iron Curtain.” Dan returned to the United States in 1951. His regiment had captured over 5000 Chinese troops and killed an estimated 65,000. Dan personally counted 36 destroyed Russian tanks. Dan was entitled to wear a green tab on his epaulets, which signified “Combat Leader.” He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of Infantry and sent back to Germany, where he remained until retiring in 1956.
For his service in the Korean War Dan was decorated with: the LEGION OF MERIT (for “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services”), two DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS (for “gallantry and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight”), two BRONZE STAR with “V” (for “valor”), six AIR MEDAL (for “courage and meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight”), the ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL (for “Contributing to the success of operations of the 25th Division”), the DISTINGUISHED (PRESIDENTIAL) UNIT CITATION (for “heroic, unique, and valorous action in Korea”), and the REPUBLIC OF KOREA PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION (for “valor in Korea”). During World War II he had been awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (for “exemplary conduct in combat”), and before the war he was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal. His service medals include: the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (with three battle stars), Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (with both the “GERMANY” and “JAPAN” bars), National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal (with four battle stars), United Nations Service Medal (with “KOREA” bar), and two Armed Forces Reserve Medals.
Dan was a unique infantry officer; having earned during World War II all three theaters of operations campaign medals, and both theater bars to the Army of Occupation Medal, and being decorated during the Korean War eight times with air flight operations decorations, normally awarded only to airmen.
