More detail on this person: The following is the text from the bulletin for Dan's Memorial
Service. (My additions in italics)
Dan Max Green was born October 25, 1942 in Nueces County, Texas to Mildred And Jack Green and
passed from this life on November 16, 2013. He was preceded in death by his sister Jimmie Lynn and
father Jack. He is survived by his wife Rachel, son Bobby, brothers, William and Joe and sisters,
Jeannie Valle and Cynthia Richards, an aunt, Ruth Routh along with many nieces, nephew and cousins.
Dan grew up living in Corpus Christi and San Antonio, Texas and graduated from East Central High
School. He served four years in the Marine Corps and then served nine years in the Army. As an Army
Warrant Officer, Dan flew helicopters in Vietnam where he received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Dan's additional duties included acting operations/assistant operations officer and Company IP. He
trained many helicopter pilots at Ft. Wolters where he received his commission as Captain. Upon
leaving the military he moved to Beaumont, Texas and worked for a local newspaper as a reporter. He
later moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas where he worked flying helicopters and small aircraft
monitoring power lines and was an airport manager. After spending a short time in New Orleans and
Oklahoma City, Dan moved to Kearney, Nebraska where he flew an EMS helicopter (Sikorsky S-76) for
several years until two heart attacks grounded him and he moved back to Texas where he found a home
in San Antonio. He worked for a time as a security guard for the Bexar County Detention Center.
In 1996 Dan joined Woodlake Baptist Church where he played the guitar for worship services and sang
in the choir. In 2002 he began working for Woodlake Baptist Church first as Church Secretary and for
the last six months as Minister of Hispanic Ministries. Dan was licensed to the ministry on July 17,
2013.
Throughout his life Dan wrote articles for several magazines including General Aviation News and Air
Progress where he was the editor. At one time he wrote for the Jewish Community News. He also wrote
several manuals and books including "In The Footsteps Of Angels" (about EMS flying and life in
general), "The Great American Air Circus" (a bit of biography about his flying career and the people
he encountered), "The Red Tavern" (our own story with Bravo Company, 229th Assault Helicopter
Battalion, First Cavalry Division V.N.) and many others. He learned Spanish and loved to paint.
Dan was accomplished at a great many things and lived by the saying, "If it was easy, everyone would
do it."
The service was well attended; Dan's widow Rachel, Dan's mother, all his surviving siblings and his
son were there. Many of the church congregation attended, including many Hispanic members. (Dan
learned Spanish specifically to bring the Spanish speaking folks in to the church)
Johnny Hubbs (the 229th "point of contact") and his wife were there. Sharon spotted a fellow with a
Master Army Aviator tie tack and we spoke to him. Frank "Pappy" Badder, CW-4 (Ret.) enlisted after
V.N. and knew Dan only as a civilian pilot. Dan used his own experience getting his medical
certificate restored to help Frank get his returned.
With no prior coordination, I literally bumped into Dan in 1973 at the Dallas airport. He was in
uniform with Captain's bars. He said he had taken a direct commission ("it'll be good for your
career" they said!) but was caught in the "reduction in force" and it ended his effort to make the
Army a career. Even though he and I were instructors at Ft. Wolters at the same time ('68-'69), I
had not seen him since the "Hail and Fairwell" party in An Khe for Jim Bracewell, Dan and I at the
end of Oct. '67.
While living in Beaumont, he was befriended by Gordon Baxter whose last page "Bax Seat"
commentary was a mainstay of "Flying" magazine for years. Dan began "ghost-writing" the column with
Baxter.
One day before his last emergency hospitalization, Dan took Rachel flying in their Piper Cub.
From: Joe Kane, Preacher 10, B/229th
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 01/11/2025
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