Dan Patz is a retired USAF Colonel with 29 years total active (9) and reserve (20) service. You could add another 4 years for AFROTC, but it wouldn’t really count!
Dan graduated from the University of Kansas (Go, Jayhawks!) with a B.A. in English, and he has a master’s degree in Public Administration from USC (Go, Trojans!).
His first assignment in the USAF was at McChord AFB, Washington, where his Wing Commander was Col. Dean Davenport, one of Doolittle’s Raiders and the co-pilot of the “Ruptured Duck.” The Wing Executive Officer was Lt. Col. Bill Shomo, who, with his wingman (flying P-51s) jumped 13 Japanese Zeroes and accounted for 11 confirmed kills, with one seen smoking & one bugging out for home (Can you say Medal of Honor? Lt Col Shomo could!) Dan claims that his USAF career consisted of nothing but “hardship” assignments: McChord AFB, RCAF Stn Bagotville Quebec, Hamilton AFB, California, and Lackland AFB, Texas.
His reserve assignments included Kirtland AFB, NM, downtown Dallas, Texas (a job in the Defense Industrial Security Program), Los Angeles AFB, and the Pentagon. More hardship tours, of course!
Dan left active duty after 9 years and joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, where he attained the rank of Sergeant before his retirement in 1995.
And since he hasn’t yet had enough of being around the USAF, Dan is a member of the Fort Worth Senior Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol! He claims his favorite color is Air Force blue. Dan passed his checkride and became a Private Pilot in August 2005.
Dan has been married to Judi for 34 years, and they live in Fort Worth, maintaining their home for the comfort and convenience of the cat and dogs!
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