Dan Reese took a leave of absence from Pennsylvania State University to become an Aviation Cadet with the Army Air Force during WWII. He completed his flight training in the summer of 1944. He began active service as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Air Force in 1944 and departed for service as a power glider pilot in November 1944. He served as a power glider co-pilot in the Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe. On his last WWII mission he was co-pilot of a CG-4A Waco Glider with 13 glider infantrymen, from Company K, 194th Glider Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne aboard on March 24, 1945 in Wesel, Germany for Operation Varsity, with the 82nd Troop Carrier Squadron, 436th TCG, where he was wounded twice. Following his honorable relief from active service for WWII in January 1946 he returned to Pennsylvania State University and graduated in 1948 with a bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Engineering.
He was re-commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force in 1952 and served as a command pilot for the Strategic Air Command with service that included flying the B-36 Peacemaker, B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress. Following completion of his active service with the USAF in 1963 he became a flight test engineer for the B-70 Valkyrie for North American Aviation, was senior flight test engineer for Lockheed with the SR-71 Blackbird flight test program and then served as senior flight test engineer on the F-111 Aardvark for General Dynamics before retiring from a distinguished flying career of about 30 years. Upon retirement he continued his avocational activities as an avid gardener and horticulturist. He was a member of the National WWII Glider Pilots Association, Inc..
He was re-commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force in 1952 and served as a command pilot for the Strategic Air Command with service that included flying the B-36 Peacemaker, B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress. Following completion of his active service with the USAF in 1963 he became a flight test engineer for the B-70 Valkyrie for North American Aviation, was senior flight test engineer for Lockheed with the SR-71 Blackbird flight test program and then served as senior flight test engineer on the F-111 Aardvark for General Dynamics before retiring from a distinguished flying career of about 30 years. Upon retirement he continued his avocational activities as an avid gardener and horticulturist. He was a member of the National WWII Glider Pilots Association, Inc..
Dan Reese took a leave of absence from Pennsylvania State University to become an Aviation Cadet with the Army Air Force during WWII. He completed his flight training in the summer of 1944. He began active service as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Air Force in 1944 and departed for service as a power glider pilot in November 1944. He served as a power glider co-pilot in the Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe. On his last WWII mission he was co-pilot of a CG-4A Waco Glider with 13 glider infantrymen, from Company K, 194th Glider Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne aboard on March 24, 1945 in Wesel, Germany for Operation Varsity, with the 82nd Troop Carrier Squadron, 436th TCG, where he was wounded twice. Following his honorable relief from active service for WWII in January 1946 he returned to Pennsylvania State University and graduated in 1948 with a bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Engineering.
He was re-commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force in 1952 and served as a command pilot for the Strategic Air Command with service that included flying the B-36 Peacemaker, B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress. Following completion of his active service with the USAF in 1963 he became a flight test engineer for the B-70 Valkyrie for North American Aviation, was senior flight test engineer for Lockheed with the SR-71 Blackbird flight test program and then served as senior flight test engineer on the F-111 Aardvark for General Dynamics before retiring from a distinguished flying career of about 30 years. Upon retirement he continued his avocational activities as an avid gardener and horticulturist. He was a member of the National WWII Glider Pilots Association, Inc..
He was re-commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force in 1952 and served as a command pilot for the Strategic Air Command with service that included flying the B-36 Peacemaker, B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress. Following completion of his active service with the USAF in 1963 he became a flight test engineer for the B-70 Valkyrie for North American Aviation, was senior flight test engineer for Lockheed with the SR-71 Blackbird flight test program and then served as senior flight test engineer on the F-111 Aardvark for General Dynamics before retiring from a distinguished flying career of about 30 years. Upon retirement he continued his avocational activities as an avid gardener and horticulturist. He was a member of the National WWII Glider Pilots Association, Inc..
