Today's Featured Biography

 
Danny Morford

SEE UPDATE at END Aug 21, 2006.

After graduation from SMWest I worked at St Lukes Med Center as a records clerk and attended KCJC ( now Penn Valley). I then joined the USAF as a C-130 aircraft mechanic in 1966. From Feb 1968-Dec 1969 I was assigned to various units in SE Asia. The main bases I was assigned to were Yokota, Japan, CCK Taiwan and Cam Rhan Bay and Tuy Hoa, RVN. In 1970 I got out of the AF and enrolled at JCCC in Shawnee, KS.(Before the move to the OP campus) In 1971 I joined the Air Force Reserve as a C-130 Flight Engineer. Following graduation from JCCC I enrolled in Oklahoma State but was offered a job at Richard-Gebaur AFB (the old AF base near Grandview Mo) as an aircraft maintenance technician( mechanic) on C-130s.
Guess where I went.
The C-130 aircraft is a high wing, 4 engine turboprop transport. It can do landings in under 3,000feet , drop cargo out the rear doors, even as large 2 ton truck, and also drop paratroopers in forward areas. it has been around since 1954 and they still build them. Not pretty but functionable.

I later became a C-130 flight engineer / Instructor, as a civil technican. As a flight engineer I traveled extensively in Central America, South America, Europe and SE Asia.

I married Hitomi, Hoffman in Sept 1981. In 1982 I transfered to a AF Reserve unit in Colorado Springs, CO as a flight engineer technician. I was an Instructor/Examiner Flight Engineer.


In 1984 I hired on with the Federal Avaiation Adminstration in Des Moines, Iowa, as a Aviation Safety Inspector, Airworthiness. I was tasked with regulating and monitoring aircraft mechanics, private and commercial aircraft and companies. My wife and I remained active in the AF Reserve, commuting to Colo Springs regularly from Des Moines.

In 1991 my wife and I were activated for "Desert Storm". She was sent to RAF Upper Hayford with an aero medical unit and my squadron was sent to RAF Mildenhall. Same country miles apart. I flew in support of the B52 bombing missions from Spain and tactical support from Turkey and into northern Iraq.

We were deactivated in July 1991. Our boys spent the time with friends on thier farm near Ogden, Iowa. Interesting year! We both retired from the AF Reserves in 1992. Funny how that worked out.

In 1994 I transfered to Kansas City to work at the Kansas City,FAA Flight Standards District Office near KCI. We moved to just outside of Lansing, Kansas in 1995.
I was selected as the FAA Central Region Safety Program Manager for Airworthiness in 1998. I worked out of the FAA Central Region Office in downtown KC I wrote and gave safety presentations to aircraft mechanics and avaition companies thru out KS, IA, NB, and MO.

In 2000, I transfered to the London International Field Office. I'am a Principal Maintenance Inspecter tasked with auditing companies that repair US aircraft and airplane components. My wife, Hitomi, works for the US Secret Service at the US Embassy in London. We have traveled in Europe and even to Iceland and South Africa. I may retire next year(2007) but I'll stay in aviation in some capacity. Until then, we look forward to continuing our travels and visiting our 2 granddaughters.
All three of our boys are in the USAF. Chris is at Davis Monthan AFB AZ,as a crewman on a rescue helicopter. Sean is an aircraft mechanic at Pope AFB NC and Aron is an electronic countermeasure technician at Hurlbert Field, Fl. I guess you could say we are a military family and proud of it!

UPDATE Aug 21, 2006

My wife Hitomi is going to retire from Secret Service this fall. We will be returning to Kansas City, ie Lansing KS,the first part of Jan 2007 . I will be working at the FAA Central Region offices downtown.

Our middle son Chris is with his Squadron, 55RQS in Balad AB Iraq till Christmas time. 2007 will be a good year!

Our middle son, Sean, is now out of the AF and an A&P instructor in Detroit Michigan.
Our youngest, Aron, is still based at Hurlburt Field FL in the AF. Our grand-daughters are growing like weeds! It will be nice to get back together with everyone.

We also look forward to renewing old friendships with other classmates.

Dan


UPDATE May 3, 2010

Back in US. Living in Leavenworth in the county. Kids doing fine. Two still in AF, one now working in Detroit at Regional Airport.
My wife,Tomi,is now retired. I'm still working for FAA in KCMO
Look forward to the summer reunion !

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