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Contact Info
Home Town Olney, Maryland
Last Address Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Date of Passing Feb 18, 2012
Location of Interment Jacksonville National Cemetery (VA) - Jacksonville, Florida
Dave Dingee was born on February 16, 1943, in Olney, Maryland. After graduating with a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, he entered Officer Training School on March 17, 1967, and was commissioned a 2d Lt in the U.S. Air Force at Lackland AFB, Texas, on May 27, 1967. Lt Dingee attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Webb AFB, Texas, from June to October 1967, and then completed Undergraduate Navigator Training and was awarded his navigator wings at Mather AFB, California, in July 1968. He then attended Electronic Warfare Officer training at Mather AFB from July 1968 to April 1969, and F-4 Phantom II Combat Crew Training at Homestead AFB, Florida, from April 1969 to February 1970. His next assignment was as an F-4E Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) with the 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron at DaNang AB, South Vietnam, from February 1970 to February 1971, followed by service as an F-4E WSO and Instructor WSO with the 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron and the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing at Homestead AFB from February 1971 to April 1972. Capt Dingee then deployed with the 308th Tactical Fighter Squadron to Udorn Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, where he flew combat missions in Southeast Asia from April 1972 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on June 27, 1972. After spending 275 days in captivity, he was released during Operation Homecoming on March 28, 1973. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, and then attended Undergraduate Pilot Training, receiving his pilot wings at Moody AFB, Georgia, in October 1974. He then completed F-4 Combat Crew Training and served as an F-4D pilot at Holloman AFB, New Mexico, from October 1975 to October 1977. Maj Dingee attended Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Virginia, from October 1977 to August 1978, and then served as a Joint Air Operations Officer in South Korea from August 1978 to July 1980. His next assignment was with the 63rd Tactical Fighter Group at MacDill AFB, Florida, where he requalified in the F-4 from July 1980 to February 1981, served as Assistant Group Operations Officer from February to May 1981, served as Operations Officer of the 63rd Tactical Fighter Squadron from May to October 1981, and then served as Operations Officer of the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron from October 1981 to June 1982. Lt Col Dingee served as Operations officer of the 70th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Moody AFB, Georgia, from June 1982 to August 1983, and then as Commander of the 69th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Moody from August 1983 to December 1984. His next assignment was as Assistant Deputy Commander for Operations with the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing at Moody AFB from December 1984 to July 1985, followed by Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, from July 1985 to June 1986. Col Dingee served as Deputy Commander for Operations of the 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing at England AFB, Louisiana, from June 1986 to February 1987, and then as Vice Commander of the 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing from February 1987 to June 1988. His next assignment was as Commander of the 343rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Eielson AFB, Alaska, from June 1988 to August 1990, followed by service at Langley AFB, Virginia, from August 1990 until his retirement from the Air Force on July 1, 1992. Dave Dingee died on February 18, 2012, and was buried at the Jacksonville National Cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida.
Throughout the summer and fall of 1970, USAF aircraft flew interdiction and close air support missions in Cambodia to help ensure that the major
towns and cities stayed in friendly hands. Gunships proved especially effective in defending Phnom Penh. the Cambodia: capital; the town of Kompong Chorn. 50 miles to the northeast; and Kompong Thom. about 65 miles north of the capital. On August 8 Cambodian troops, backed by USAF close air support, drove North Vietnamese forces from Sltoun, an important highway junction between Kornpong 1hom and Phnom Penh. Despite these efforts, Communist forces controlled about half of Cambodia by November and kept the highway closed between Phnom Penh and the seaport of Kompong Som, 100 miles to the southwest. The Cambodians had to resupply Phnom Penh and their troops by transporting goods up the Mekong River. and Allied aircraft escorted the river convoys to protect the ships from attack.
The chaotic military situation in Cambodia during 1970 closely resembled the one to the north in Laos. With the coming of another wet season. Laotian forces began 2 new offensives in an effort to wrest control of the Plain of Jars from the Pathet Lao and the North Vietnamese. 'l‘he first offensive occurred between August 2 and 23 and the second from August 31 to October 23. The Communist forces retreated slowly to the southeast rim of the plain. inflicting heavy losses on the Royal and irregular Laotian forces. During the Laotian offensives, the USAF provided close air support and continued to attack supply routes in both the northern and southern parts of the country.
In South Vietnam, the withdrawal of U.S. forces gained momentum. The USAF redeployed the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing to the United States in
September, 1970 and inactivated or redeployed several of its A-1, A-37, and F-105 squadrons. Meanwhile, on September 1, Gen. Lucius D. Clay. Ir.. assumed command of the Seventh Air Force. Six weeks later, on October 12, President Richard M. Nixon announced that the U.S. would withdraw 40,000 more troops from South Vietnam by December 1, 1970. leaving about 33S.(510 military personnel in the country. Subsequently, in November, the USAF redeployed 2 tactical reconnaissance squadrons from South Vietnam to the United States.
Whatever the rate of U.S. disengagement. intense fighting continued. The Allies mounted a helibome. multi-brigade operation between July 12 and August 5 to disrupt Communist transportation networks in the mountainous border area near the Kharn Due airstrip, only 55 miles southwest of Da Nang. Allied ground forces received extensive close air and airlift support from the Seventh Air Force. but reported few contacts with the enemy.
Later in the year, on November 21, the USAF and the U.S. Army attempted to rescue U.S. prisoners of war believed held at Son Tay, a
prison camp 70 miles northwest of Hanoi. Two C-130s led a rescue force of helicopters and A-1 aircraft from bases in Thailand to Son Tay,
while F-105Fs suppressed North Vietnamese surface-to-air missiles. The C-130s illuminated the prison compound and marked targets for the A-1s‘ suppressive fire while 1 helicopter crash landed in the compound and the rest landed outside. The raiders found no POWs and withdrew without loss of personnel, although the helicopter in the compound was blown up and 1 F-IO5F was destroyed by enemy fire.
A few hours after the Son Tay raid, some 200 U.S. tactical aircraft, supported by 50 other airplanes, bombed SAM sites, antiaircraft gunsites, and supply and transport facilities in North Vietnam near the Mu Gia and the Ban Karai Passes, and in the DMZ. Within a few days, on November 25, 1970, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong delegation again boycotted the Paris peace negotiations.
