Skip to content

This Day in History – June 10, 1969 – The X-15 gets a place in history

10 June 1969: The U.S. Air Force donated the first North American Aviation X-15, serial number 56-6670, to the Smithsonian Institution for display at the National Air and Space Museum. The first of three X-15A hypersonic research rocketplanes built by North American for the Air Force and the National Advisory Committee (NACA, the predecessor of NASA), 56-6670 made the first glide flight and

Read More »
Main Menu
  • Home
  • History
    • About The SSS
    • Headed West
    • Biographies
    • Today in F-100 History
    • SSS Caterpillar
    • Wall of Honor
    • F-100 Information
    • Friends of the Super Sabre
    • N. American F-100 Super Sabre
  • Galleries
  • The Intake
    • About The Intake: Journal
    • The Intake: Journal of the Super Sabre Society – Archives
  • What’s New
  • Contact

Taylor, Daniel A, Jr.

  • Home
  • Biography
  • Biographies
  • Taylor, Daniel A, Jr.

Daniel A. Taylor, Jr.

Preferred Name: Dan
Date of Birth: November 4, 1939
Highest Military Grade: 0-7 – Brigadier General
Hometown: Monroe, MI
Biography
Pilot Information
Album

General Taylor was born in 1939, in Perrysburg, Ohio, and graduated from Monroe (Mich.) High School. He received a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Mich., in 1961 and a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz., in 1963. He completed Armed Forces Staff College in 1971, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1976 and the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University in 1984.

The general was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Michigan Technological University in July 1961 and entered active duty in August. After completing the Air Force Institute of Technology program at Arizona State University, he transferred to the 6594th Aerospace Test Wing, Air Force Systems Command, Sunnyvale, Calif., as a satellite test controller.

He received his pilot wings in August 1965 at Williams Air Force Base, Ariz., and entered combat crew training at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., flying F-100s. General Taylor was then assigned to the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Bien Hoa Air Base, Republic of Vietnam. Upon his return to the United States in April 1967, he served as an F-100 and F-111 instructor pilot with the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.

Upon completion of the Armed Forces Staff College, he served as an operations staff officer in the Tactical Fighter Division, Directorate of Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., from February 1972 until August 1975. After graduation from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in June 1976, he was assigned as an F-4 operations officer with the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea. Returning to the United States in July 1977, he assumed command of the 524th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Cannon Air Force Base, flying F-111s.

In September 1978 General Taylor joined The Thunderbirds at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., as the commander-leader selectee. He subsequently was promoted and assigned as the assistant deputy chief of staff for studies, analysis and gaming, Tactical Fighter Weapons Center, also at Nellis. He transferred to Randolph Air Force Base in June 1979 and established the initial Air Force Retention Group at the Military Personnel Center.

In May 1980 General Taylor was assigned to the Directorate of Materiel Management, San Antonio Air Logistics Center, Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. While there he served as chief of both the Engineering Division and Systems Management Division. He transferred to Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in October 1982 and was assigned initially as the director of plans before assuming the position of assistant deputy chief of staff for plans and programs. In July 1984 the general became the director of materiel management at the Sacramento Air Logistics Center, McClellan Air Force Base, Calif., and later served there as special assistant to the commander. In October 1985 he became vice commander of the Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah. He assumed his present position in August 1986.

General Taylor is a command pilot with more than 2,700 flying hours and 323 combat missions in fighter aircraft. His military decorations and awards include the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 16 oak leaf clusters and the Air Force Commendation Medal.

He was promoted to brigadier general Oct. 1, 1985, with same date of rank.

source: https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/105369/brigadier-general-daniel-a-taylor-jr/

Units Assigned

  • 7/1961 Received commission from Michigan Technological University
  • 8/1961 Entered active duty
  • 1963 Air Force Institute of Technology program, Arizona State University
  • 1964 6594th Aerospace Test Wing, satellite test controller, Air Force Systems Command, Sunnyvale, CA
  • 8/1965 Received pilot wings, Williams AFB, AZ
  • 4514th Combat Crew Training Squadron, Luke AFB, AZ (F-100)
  • 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Bien Hoa AB, Vietnam (F-100)
  • 4/1967 27th Tactical Fighter Wing, IP, Cannon AFB, NM (F-100, F-111)
  • 1971 Armed Forces Staff College
  • 2/1972-8/1975 Tactical Fighter Division, Directorate of Operations, operations staff officer, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, DC
  • 8/1975-6/1976 Industrial College of the Armed Forces
  • 6/1976-7/1977 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, F-4 operations officer, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea (F-4)
  • 7/1977-8/1978 524th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Commander, Cannon AFB, NM (F-111)
  • 9/1978 Commander/Leader selectee of the Thunderbirds at Nellis AFB,
  • Tactical Fighter Weapons Center, Assistant deputy chief of staff for studies, analysis and gaming, Nellis AFB, NV
  • 6/1979-5/1980 Established initial Air Force Retention Group, Military Personnel Center, Randolph AFB, TX
  • 5/1980 Directorate of Materiel Management/Chief of both the Engineering Division and Systems Management Division, San Antonio Air Logistics Center, Kelly AFB, TX
  • 10/1982-7/1984 Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command, Director of plans/Assistant deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
  • 7/1984-10/1985 Sacramento Air Logistics Center, Director of materiel management/Special assistant to the commander, McClellan AFB, CA
  • 10/1985-8/1986 Ogden Air Logistics Center, Vice commander, Hill AFB, UT
  • 8/1986-8/1988 Headquarters Air Training Command, Deputy chief of staff, logistics, Randolph AFB, TX
  • 8/1/1988 Retired USAF

Awards & Decorations

Silver Star
Silver Star
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Medal
Air Medal (with 16 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal

Flight Info

F-100
F-4
F-111
Flight Hours: 2,700 flying hours
323 combat missions in fighter aircraft

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • 1961 Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps
  • 1971 Armed Forces Staff College
  • 1976 Industrial College of the Armed Forces

Civilian Education:

  • Monroe (Mich.) High School
  • 1961 BS/Mechanical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, MI
  • 1963 MS/Industrial Engineering, Arizona State University, AZ
  • 1984 Advanced Management Program, Harvard University

Taylor, Daniel
Album Slideshow
Slideshow
Click To View

Wall of Honor Location

Our Mission

The mission of the Super Sabre Society is to preserve the history of the F-100 Super Sabre and the men who flew the aircraft.

Follow Us

Copyright © 2025 Super Sabre Society
Website by: Heart and Soul Web Design
Scroll to Top