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SMSGT Daniel Summers Sr.
Daniel Allen Summers, Sr. was born June 9, 1919 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Following High School and two years of study at Hampton Institute in Virginia, he returned to Harrisburg to pursue training and work as an aircraft mechanic at Olmsted Airfield, Middletown, PA. In 1941 the United States Government was looking for African Americans with aircraft related skills. Answering the call, he was sent to Tuskegee Alabama as a Civil Service Employee to begin work with the Tuskegee Airmen project. He worked as a mechanic and later a supervisor. Dan Summers, Sr. then joined the Army Air Corps and returned to Tuskegee where he served a total of over 4 years. Following the conclusion of World War II and the deactivation of the Tuskegee Army Airfield, Senior Master Sergeant Summers was transferred to the 509th Bomber Wing at Walker Air Force Base outside of Roswell, New Mexico. Because of the vigorous work ethic of the Tuskegee program, he transition smoothly into the newly integrated unit. This became apparent when the Wing Commander, chose Sergeant Summers' aircraft to be his Wing administrative aircraft because of its cleanliness and good maintenance. Sergeant Summers served two tours in Viet Nam as well as a various Temporary Duty Assignments in Japan, Hong Kong, and other location throughout Asia. In 1964 he was assigned to the 4080th Strategic Reconnissance Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson Arizona as an Aircraft Maintenance Branch Chief. He retired from the USAF as a Senior Master Sergeant in Tucson, Az, after 25 years of service on October 1, 1966. Following "retirement", and after a 22 year absence from higher education, He returned to college to receive a degree in Elementary Education. He them went on to teach fourth, fifth and sixth graders for the next 14 years, retiring for the second time in 1982. Daniel A. Summers Sr. legacy is one of hard work and diligent effort. His view of life is, "Luck is real - the harder I work, the luckier I get!" |
