Wilson Family Genealogy
Death Announcements and Obituaries for Dale Joseph Flinders
Dale Joseph Flinders died on 19 Sep 2008 in USA, TX, Bexar, San Antonio.
This Obituary was from the US Air Force, Air Weather Association Website. It appears to no longer be available there, although it can be found archived in several other places online.
"Dale J. Flinders, Colonel USAF (Ret.) passed away Friday, September 19, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas. Dale was born on October 4, 1917 in Cherokee County, Iowa to Lawrence G. and Laura Flinders and educated in Iowa, unknowingly 60 miles from his beloved future wife * * *. Dale showed great determination throughout his full life. Having sung with [his wife] 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, [his wife] 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 meteorology…and finally in '43 they were married and he and [his wife] 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 [his wife] 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, * * * of 65 years and by [his children and their spouses]. He is also survived by grandchildren: * * *, and great grandson, * * *. Col. Flinders also leaves [siblings], all of Iowa, and several nieces and nephews.
"In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to your favorite charity or to Freedom House Research Fund. Please make check payable to Air Force Villages Charitable Foundation of AFVCF. A Memorial Service was held on Thursday, Sep. 25, 2008 and burial at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery."