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Today in History – April 5, 1962 – 1962 Neil Armstrong takes X-15 to 54,600m

Neil Armstrong and the X-15 by Bob van der Linden, Posted on Tue, July 23, 2019, Aeronautics Department, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum “Released from duty in mid-1952, Armstrong returned to Purdue where he earned his degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955. His love of flight and engineering drew him to the National Advisory

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McDaniel, Kenneth E.

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  • McDaniel, Kenneth E.

Kenneth E. McDaniel

Preferred Name: Ken
Nickname/Call Sign: Hot Rod
Date of Birth: February 24, 1935
Highest Military Grade: 0-4 – Major
Hometown: Oklahoma City, OK
Biography
Pilot Information
Album
Video

As a child in the 1940s in Oklahoma City, Ken McDaniel pinched paper airplanes between his right thumb and index finger and let them fly across the classroom.

By the time McDaniel was in his 30s, he was an F-100 fighter pilot flying out of Phu Cat in South Vietnam. That was amid more than 20 years in the U.S. Air Force.

Today, he’s 78 years old and has cattle on a farm about halfway between Maud and Saint Louis. But his imagination continues to soar in metal models of airplanes that are replicas of some of those he, family, or friends have flown.

“It’s a labor of love because I love the airplanes,” he said. “I love every one I ever flew.

“Flying is my life.”(1)

“My Combat Missions were: 128 in the 0-1 275 hrs. 170 in the F-100 271 hrs.  I have a total of 5077 hrs., 1323 F-100; 1259 T-33 and flew 13 different Aircraft. I was dually Current in the 0-1 & the F-100 at Cannon.

My best assignment was Phu Cat AB in Vietnam as an Ops Officer.

Being a part of the Air Force and all of the great people that I met and flew with was the greatest part of my life.

I retired January 1, 1977 – did some corporate flying and aircraft sales, but mainly just raised cattle and took life easy.”

(1) From the article “Oklahoma man’s love of flying continues to soar in imaginative ways” by Bryan Painter for The Oklahoman, published 2013

Units Assigned

  • 11/1956-7/1959 465th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Griffiss AFB, Rome NY (F-89)
  • 7/1959-3/1961 49th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Griffiss AFB, Rome NY (F-101)
  • 3/1961-5/1964 13th Bomb Squadron, Victor alert Kunsan Korea, Yakota AB, Japan (B-57)
  • 5/1964-11/1964 27th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cannon AFB, NM (T-33).
  • 11/1964-12/1964 TDY to Luke AFB, AZ (F-100 Upgrade)
  • 1/1965-9/1965 523rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM (F-l00) TDY Missawa & Victor alert Kunsan.
  • 9/1965-4/1966 TDY lst Infantry Division/2’nd Brigade, Vietnam as a FAC. (walking & O-1)
  • 5/1966-10/1968 524th Tactical Fighter Squadron/27th Tactical Fighter Wing, Academic Ops & Training Officer (F-100)
  • 10/1968-6/1969 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Phu Cat AB, Vietnam (F-100)
  • 7/1969-3/1970 317th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Target Operations Officer (T-33)
  • 3/1970-5/1972 Sr. Controller 2nd aircraft delivery Squadron (T-39)
  • 7/1972-11/1973 Det. Instructor Pilot, Tucson TXANG (F-100)
  • 11/1973-1/1977 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, OIC T-33 Sec., Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ (T-33)
  • 1977 Retired USAF

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

F-89
F-101
B-57
T-33  – 1259 Hours
F-100 – 271 Hours, 170 Combat Missions
O-1 – 275 Hours, 128 Combat Missions
T-39

Flight Hours: 5077

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • SOS (correspondence)
  • Air War College (correspondence)
  • Industrial College. (correspondence)

Civilian Education:

  • 1980 BA/Business Management (after retirement)

McDaniel, Ken
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