More detail on this person: Retired US Army
Chief Warrant Officer W4 John G. Daneker of
Lexington, KY, died Sep 27, 2011. He was 82 at
the time.
Born in White Haven, PA and attended and
graduated from the White Haven High School, Class
of 1948. John entered the US Army in May 1950
and was assigned to Aberdeen Proving Grounds,
MD, where he attended Explosive Ordinance
Disposal School. He was assigned to Korea in
January, 1951 until December, 1953. He served with
the 14th EOD Squad in Northeast Korea and later
with the 24th EOD Control Detachment. During
1956 he entered the US Army Helicopter Flight
Training School at FT Rucker, AL. After graduating
he was assigned to the 8th Helicopter Company at
FT Bragg, NC, to fly the H-21 helicopter. In 1959
he was assigned to Schofield Barracks, HI, to fly
the H-21 with the 6th Helicopter Company. In
February, 1962 he was reassigned to the 93rd
Helicopter Company in Danang, South Vietnam and
later to the 8th Helicopter Company located at Qui
Nhon, Vietnam.
During March 1963, John returned to FT Benning,
GA, and was assigned to the first Chinook (CH47)
Battalion of the activated 11th Air Assault
Division. After qualifying in the Chinook he spent
considerable time at Boeing Vertol and the New
Cumberland Army Depot performing production
flight tests and acceptance test flights of the
Chinook for the Army. From 1965 through 1966,
John served as an Instructor and Flight
Standardization pilot with the 177th at FT
Benning, GA, training Chinook Pilots and compiling
Chinook companies for deployment to Vietnam.
During 1967, he served again in Vietnam with the
179th Chinook Company at Pleiku. In 1968, John
was assigned to the US Army Aviation Test Board
at FT Rucker, AL, as the Safety Officer and Test
Pilot. In 1969, he was selected by the Warrant
Officer Branch to write and teach the Safety
Portion of the newly established Warrant Officer
Advanced and Intermediate courses. During 1971
and 1972, he was selected and served in the Office
of the Assistant Commandant at the Army Aviation
Center. In 1973, John was assigned to Iran and
served with the Technical Assistance Field Team.
There he monitored the Iranian Army Flight
Training Program and conducted Flight
Standardization Checks of the Bell International
Pilots and the student end of the phase and final
check rides. In 1974, he returned to FT Rucker
and was assigned to the Combat Development
Command. He retired June 30, 1976.
In addition to his military career, John was also
a NCAA Basketball and Football referee. He was
the referee in the 1961 Hula Bowl Game in Hawaii
and was selected into the Atlantic Coast
Conference as a basketball referee in 1957. He
was also an International Basketball Referee and
traveled to numerous countries representing the
United States and U.S. State Department. His
awards and decorations include the US Master
Army Aviator Badge; Senior Explosive Ordinance
Disposal Badger; Bronze Star with Oak Leaf
Cluster; Air Medals; Accommodation Medals, Good
Conduct Medal; Imperial Iranian Army Aviator
Wings; and two Boeing Vertol Rescue Awards for
daring night med-evac missions in Vietnam. On July
4, 2005, John was commissioned a Kentucky
Colonel for contributions to the community.
John is survived by his wife Vivienne; three sons,
two daughters, two stepsons, nine grandchildren,
two step grandchildren and three great
grandchildren, one brother and numerous aunts,
uncles, cousins and his first wife, Roberta in AL.
John was a proud Army veteran who loved his many
friends that he associated with along the way here
and abroad. He lived a happy, full life and loved
his family dearly. He will live forever on in our
hearts. Contributions and other memorials to
Hospice of the Blue Grass, 2312 Alexandria Dr.,
Lexington, KY 40504 or the Second Presbyterian
Church, East Main Street, Lexington, KY, 40507.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/11/2023
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