MUELLER DARREL J

MAJ Darrel J. Mueller was a potential VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 11/20/2005 at the age of 73.1 from Cancer
Rapid City, SD
Date of Birth 10/01/1932
Served in the U.S. Marine Corps
This information was provided by WIfe?

More detail on this person: Darrel Mueller Black Hills Pioneer (Spearfish, SD) - Tuesday, November 22, 2005 Darrel Mueller passed away Sunday, Nov. 20, 2005 at his home in Rapid City, surrounded by loved ones after a long battle with cancer. Darrel was born Oct. 1, 1932, to Myrl and Anna Mueller in Lead. His childhood was spent in Moskee, Wyo., Spearfish, and the WWII years in Longbeach, Calif. After his father's death in 1946 the family returned to Spearfish where he graduated from high school in 1950. He attended BHSC and SDSC prior to enlisting in the Naval Aviation Pilot Training Program in Pensacola, Fla., in 1953. Darrel completed flight school in 1954, he was commissioned into the Marine Corps where he proudly served until 1974. He was a flight instructor, a student and instructor at the Amphibious Warfare School and also assigned to the jet squadron. He became a helicopter instructor on the West coast and was air officer at Camp Lejeune, N.C. Darrel had three tours of overseas duty; in 1959 he was in Japan, Okinawa and Korea in a helicopter squadron. His second tour was in 1965 in Vietnam in a helicopter squadron and the third tour was also in Vietnam. He was the executive officer of the headquarters squadron. From completion of his last tour of duty, he was transferred to Santa Ana, Calif., and was an instructor in helicopters and was commanding officer of training enlisted aviation crews. Darrel received the Bronze Star with combat V as well as many other awards and commendations. He retired from the Marines with the rank of major. He made Spearfish and the Black Hills his home in 1974. Hunting, fishing and outdoor sports were high priorities for him and his family. He was employed by the job service and later at the cement plant in Rapid City. After final retirement, he added oil painting and golf to his outdoor activities. He enjoyed travel in the service and later with his companion, Claire Mayer. There were trips to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Nova Scotia, two or three fall tours taken to the New England states and they spent several winters in Arizona. Darrel is survived by his five children, Darielle Cummings, of Tustin, Calif., Myrle Mueller, of Rapid City, Tamora Dalin (Dallas) of Sioux Falls, Maura Reed (George), of Green Bay, Wisc., and Darin Mueller (Kristie), of Sioux Falls, his brother Max Mueller (Betty), nine grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his dear friend and companion of many years, Clair Mayer. He was preceded in death by his father, Myrl in 1946, his mother Anna in 2005, his wife, Virginia Eggum Mueller in 1987 and twin baby girls who died shortly after birth in 1962. A memorial to the radiology and chemotherapy divisions of the John Vucurevich Oncology Center has been established by his family. Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, Dec. 2, 2005 at the Aldinger Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Spearfish with the Rev. Kip Roozen officiating. Inurnment with military honors by the Spearfish Veterans Honor Guard will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

Burial information: Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis, SD

This information was last updated 09/04/2019

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024


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