GREEN DAN MAX

CPT Dan Max Green was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 11/16/2013 at the age of 71.1
San Antonio, TX
Flight Classes 66-17 and 66-15
Date of Birth 10/25/1942
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with B/229 AVN 1 CAV in 66-67
Call sign in Vietnam PREACHER 3
This information was provided by Gordon Eatley

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: 03/10/2024


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