During his stint with the 20th.FG, Oxley was credited with destroying a Fw-190 on the ground, two Do-24s on the water and damaging a Ju-88 on the ground. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 7 clusters. The Computer Consultant of the 20th. Fighter Group Association, Oxley resided in Washington state with his wife Audrey until passed away from Alzheimer's on Oct 12, 2003.

Dan Dean Oxley

Dan Oxley, a retired Air Force colonel, died Oct. 12, 2003, at his home in Sammamish. He was 80 years old.

At his request, no services will be held. His cremated remains will be interred at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Mandan..

Mr. Oxley was born on Dec. 17, 1922, in Cogswell, N.D., the eldest son of first-generation English immigrants Julie (Mezaros) and Burton Oxley. He was proud of his Hungarian heritage.

In his youth he set records in the discus and javelin. Later he became a reformed smoker and he jogged regularly in his 50s.

He married Audrey Bopp in 1942, and they raised four children. He earned a bachelor's degree in zoology from North Dakota State University in 1947.

Mr. Oxley served 28 years of active duty in the Air Force. During World War II he flew more than 50 missions over Europe as a P51 and P38 fighter pilot.

In 1951, as a member of the 4930 Test Support Group he witnessed the first hydrogen bomb test on Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands. As an officer he was active in the installation of the Atlas missiles in Wyoming and Minute Man missiles in North Dakota.

While stationed at the Pentagon he was promoted to colonel. His military career culminated at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida where he served as deputy commander of the Eastern Test Range.

Following his retirement in 1975, he and his wife settled in Issaquah. They've lived in the same house since 1976.

During retirement he tried his hand at real estate, taught English to Vietnamese immigrants and volunteered civically. He left the Rotary Club in protest years ago when they refused to admit women as members. He also campaigned in support of the incorporation of Sammamish and acquired his first computer in 1984.

He enjoyed building furniture, creating stained-glass pieces and rugs, baking bread, gardening and home-improvement projects. He also was active in the 20th Fighter Group. The decline in Mr. Oxley's health began in 2000, when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years; daughters Dru and Tim Renschler of Alaska, Mia Oxley of Alaska, and Kim and Gary Simpson of Issaquah; foster daughter Linda Lofton of Alexandria, Va.; and four grandsons.