About The Author | Source

Charles Maynard Daniels, Junior was born on July 23, 1923 in Indianola, Pennsylvania, a small mining town in the Allegheny River Basin. He graduated from South Fayette Township High School in Bridgeville, PA in 1941 and was the valedictorian of his class. He matriculated at the University of Pittsburgh in September of 1941 with a mechanical engineering major and also joined their Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program.

In June 1943, Mr. Daniels’ ROTC class was called to active duty and he shortly thereafter attending the USAAF officer candidate school in April 1944 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the USAAF. He served as an engineering officer in both the zone of Interior and with the Fifth Air Force in the Far East Pacific theaters. During this period he also graduated from the Pratt & Whitney Army-Navy Aircraft Engine school in Hartford, Connecticut.

Mr. Daniels was separated from the military service in September 1946 as a 1st Lieutenant, after separation he returned to the University of Pittsburgh to complete his studies under the GI Bill, including earning a pilots license and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (aero option) degree and Sigma Tau Society honors in 1947 He remained in the Army reserves until 1950.

Mr. Daniels began his working career after graduation at Goodyear Aircraft Corporation in Akron Ohio and while there met and married Ohio native Novella Ruth Mills in 1949. In 1949-1950, while on leave of absence, he attended the University of Southern California and graduated in September 1950 with a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree. He returned to Goodyear until December of 1951 at which time he joined North American Aviation (NAA) Incorporated in the Los Angles area. Thereafter he remained with the Rocketdyne division of NAA for 35 years, 30 of which were in supervisory and management positions.

Upon retiring in January 1986, Mr. Daniels and his wife, Novella, traveled extensively, visiting 48 countries in six continents. They accumulated over 1,000,000 miles in flying while attending numerous air races, air shows, air museums, air libraries, military museums, and military reunions. During this period he also accumulated over 30,000 photos of these historic events and aircraft, many of which were donated to the San Diego air and Space Museum library in 2012. He also wrote and published over 50 articles on historical aviation and aircraft subjects in various aviation periodicals. In addition he published over 50 technical articles in magazines and society journals during his working career.