More detail on this person: JOSHUA - David Lee Ankerberg, 59, chief helicopter pilot for Air 1,
Fort Worth Police Department, died Monday morning, Oct. 19, 1998, at a Fort Worth hospital after a
very courageous battle with cancer.
Funeral: 2 p.m. Thursday at Gateway Baptist Church, 310 Graves St. in Mansfield. Burial: Moore
Memorial Gardens.
Memorials: Gateway Baptist Church in Mansfield.
David Lee Ankerberg was born March 28, 1939, in Chicago, Ill., where he was raised. He attended the
University of Illinois at Navy Pier. While attending college, Dave enjoyed playing the guitar in a
band.
In April 1961, he enlisted in the Army and attended basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. From
there, he went to Aircraft Mechanic School at Fort Rucker, Ala., and then in November 1961 to the
33rd Transportation Company and 68th Aviation Company at Fort Ord, Calif., At Fort Ord, he applied
for and was accepted for the Warrant Officer Flight School. He went from Fort Ord to Camp Wolters in
August 1962 to begin flight training. He finished third in his class of 89 student pilots.
Dave went to Vietnam in August 1965, where he flew Huey Gunships with B Troop 1/9th Cavalry, 1st
Cavalry Division, which was based at An Khe in the Vietnam Central Highlands. He was shot down once
and was awarded 14 air medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Presidential Unit
Citation for the 1 Drang Valley Battle and also the Vietnam Service Medal. In April 1968, he went to
work for the CIA airline, Air America, flying Sikorsky H34 helicopters in Laos and living in Udorn
In 1980, Dave went to work flying for the Fort Worth Police Department and was promoted to the rank
of chief pilot. In May 1998, Dave received the highest honor given by the Fort Worth Police
Department, Civilian Supervisor of the Year. He was scheduled to retire in August 1999. Dave's
laughter and stories brought many smiles to all of his family and many friends he had throughout the
country.
He was a member of Gateway Baptist Church in Mansfield.
He was a very caring and generous person who never met a stranger.
Dave was loved by all. He will be greatly missed.
He was preceded in death by his father, David Oscar; mother, Lela Josephine Ankerberg; and
father-in-law, I.T. Stotts.
Survivors: Wife of 20 years, Cecilia, and his beloved dogs of Joshua; sisters, Donna McDade and her
husband, Gilbert, of Arlington and Diane Endlicher and her husband, Anthony, of Arlington; aunt,
Bethel Vanderipe of Brook, Ind.; mother-in-law, Alice Stotts of Saginaw; numerous nieces, nephews,
great-nieces and great-nephews; and many wonderful friends.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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