Dale J. Flinders

Colonel Dale J. Flinders a resident of Freedom House passed away Friday, September 19, 2008. Dale was born to Lawrence G. and Laura Flinders and educated in Iowa, unknowingly 60 miles from his beloved future wife Nadine Lindquist. Dale showed great determination throughout his full life. Having sung with Nadine at the high school state music contest, he remembered her again when he saw her from a street car at Morningside College where they both were students. They shared one date and then were separated by fate, Nadine to graduate school and Dale to teach high school science in Burma. Driven out by the Japanese in '42, Col. Flinders worked his way back to NYC and their paths criss-crossed for years. Soon Dale was drafted and sent to MIT to major in meteorologyand finally in '43 they were married and he and Nadine moved to Boston and began singing throughout their lives together! At his request, Dale was reassigned to Burma in '44 with the British Infantry under General Festing, and Nadine returned to Texas to continue her music teaching at what is now the University of North Texas. It would be 3 years before they met again after the war, in Japan, where Dale was newly assigned. During the next two years, Col. Flinders served in various positions including Commander of the 1st Mobile Weather Unit attached to the 36th Indian Infantry in Burma; Weather Detachment Commander, Lunghwa Airfield, Shanghai; Liaison Officer to Burma Meteorology Dept., Rangoon; Commander India-Burma-Thailand area of the 10th Weather Region; Weather Detachment Commander, Peking, China. From '47-'48, Col. Flinders was Operations Officer, 20th Weather Squadron, Nagoya, Japan.

Dale's career took off in March 1948 as Academic Instructor with the Department of Weather Training, moved to Washington, DC as Special Assistant and later as Deputy Director of Climatology in November 1952, and then on to Morocco as the Deputy Commander of the 29th Weather Squadron in August 1955. In September 1958, Dale assumed command of Detachment 3, 3rd Weather Wing at Vandenberg AFB, CA and was also Staff Meteorologist to 659th Aerospace Test Wing. His role as Staff Meteorologist continued in October 1965 at the AF Satellite Control Facility at Sunnyvale, California, until August 1966 when he assumed command of the USAF Environmental Tech Application Center in Washington, DC. In July 1968, Dale was selected as Commander of AF Cambridge Research Labs, L.G. Hanscom Field, Massachusetts. His career culminated in July 1971 as Director of Aerospace Sciences, Air Weather Service at Scott AFB, Ill.

Dale's military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster, and the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars. He also held the Master Missileman Badge. He was a member of the American Meteorological Society, and Sigma Pi Sigma, Physics Honorary Society.

Dale is proceeded in death by his older brother, Horace Flinders. Dale is survived by his beloved wife, Nadine of 65 years and by sons, Val Eric and wife, Toni of Kodiak, Alaska, and Bradley Terence, and his wife, Nancy of Bulverde, Texas. He is also survived by grandchildren: Kacie and John Sandoval, Kyle and Meagan Flinders, Monica Flinders, Shanna and Brian Flaten, Alexandria and Kyle Alexander, and great grandson, Louis Alexander. Col. Flinders also leaves sisters, Betty Hughes and Norma Alexander, all of Iowa, and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contribution may be made to your favorite charity or to Freedom House Research Fund. Please make check payable to Air Force Villages Charitable Foundation of AFVCF.