David Charles Dahl

Lt. Col. David C. Dahl (USAF, Ret.), age 85, passed away March 4, 2015, from liver cancer.

Dave was born April 21, 1929 in Washington, D.C. and graduated from Calvin Coolidge High School in 1947. He enlisted in the US Air Force in September 1950 and was sent to Lackland AFB, Texas for basic training. In 1951 he was assigned to B-36 mechanic school and J-47 engine school and then was made jet engine crew chief of B-36 #044. In July 1952 he attended Primary Flight Training in Bartow, Florida. In class 53E, he soloed in the T-6 and then attended Single Engine Advanced Flight Training in the T-28 and T-33, where he graduated second in his class. In 1953 he married Jo Rae Lucas in Washington, D.C. Dave went to Luke AFB for F-84 Gunnery school and then to Langley AFB, Virginia where he flew the F-84F bent wing. Daughter Denise was born in Virginia in 1954. In 1956 Dave was sent to 1861st AACS Flight in Komaki, Japan, and was promoted to captain while there. Daughter Laura was born in Japan in 1957. He moved on to B-52’s at Eglin AFB, by way of Nuclear Weapons at McConnell AFB. He went through Advanced Survival at Stead AFB and then B-52 Ground School at Castle AFB; he made Wing Standboard in 1961. In 1963 Dave volunteered for assignment to Bolivia as Maintenance Advisor to the Bolivian Air Force and flew C-54’s off El Alto airport in La Paz. He returned to Langley AFB in 1964. In November 1967, he went to Viet Nam and served as a Forward Air Controller at Nakhon Phanom and Quang Tri, flying O-2’s and O-1’s. He completed 263 sorties, and received 13 Air Medals and two Distinguished Flying Crosses for his service. Dave returned to TAC headquarters at Langley AFB and was promoted to major and later to lieutenant colonel. In 1973 he was named Air Attache to the US Embassy in Montevideo, Uruguay, where he flew Queenair aircraft. His final Air Force assignment was at Homestead AFB as head of Resources, and he retired on February 28, 1977. At that time, he went to work for Lockheed in Tehran, Iran. In March 1978 Dave went to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to work as chief pilot for a Saudi businessman, and later a Turkish Cypriot businessman. He was based in London for the next 13 years, and flew world-wide, first in a Sabreliner T-39, then a Jetstar, and then a G-4. His wife Jo Rae worked as the flight attendant and their flights covered all of Europe and the Middle East with many runs in the US and the Far East. Dave retired for the second time in 1991. The 63 countries visited were tops at the FAC reunion in 2001. He spent his retirement years sailing, traveling, and enjoying time with family and friends, new and old, in Georgia and Florida and around the world.

It was a great life with no regrets. He kept up with his Daedalians, AFA, MOAA, and returned to Europe several times. In 2013 Denise and Lauri took their parents on a two-week trip to the UK to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary and Jo Rae’s 80th birthday. The family re-lived old times and had a super time with first-class travel, housing, and food. The visits with great friends made it even more special.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents Agnes and Vitus Dahl. He is survived by his wife, Jo Rae, and their two daughters, Denise Eileen Dahl of Coral Springs, Florida and Laura Adrienne Dahl of Chicago, Illinois.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Audubon Society. Visitation will be Wednesday, March 11, from 6 to 8 pm, H.M. Patterson & Son Canton Hill Chapel. Memorial mass will be Thursday, March 12, at 11 am, St. Ann’s Catholic Church, 4905 Roswell Rd., Marietta, Georgia. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.