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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Date posted on this site: 07/12/2023
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