Circa 1996	Receiving Honorary Doctorate from Monmouth University, 2001

From Thomas E. Daniels 09/13/02 By accident while helping my grandchildren on a homework assignment about animals, I found a picture of a hog on the February 2000 issue of the Iowa Alumni Magazine. While perusing this issue I ran across your letter entitled "World War Training." It brought back memories of my time at the University of Iowa in 1944 as a member of the ASTRP and subsequent time in the ASTP. I looked up your website and thought that I would share some of my experiences in the ASTRP and the ASTP at the University and other universities and colleges from 1944 through 1945. I started out at Prairie View A&M with John Earl Maddox in January 1944. Both of us are African Americans from Louisville, Kentucky which at that time had a segregated educational school system. John Maddox picked civil engineering and I picked electrical engineering. In May 1944 we were transferred to the University of Iowa with 3 other African Americans, Robert Porter and Pourier both from New Orleans and the other whose name escapes me. We stayed at U of I for 3 months through July 1944. John and I were then transferred in August to Kansas University for 3 months. What was happening was the Army was shutting down many of the ASTP programs across the nation. At the end of 3 months at Kansas University I was the lone African American of 5 at the University of Iowa left in the Program. I was transferred to Syracuse University. The other four were transferred to Fort Benning, GA for infantry basic training. After 3 months at Syracuse Universitywhere I met several other African Americans from Rutgers, NYU, and Boston College, I was sent to Ft. McClellan, Alabama for infantry basic. I rejoined John E. Maddox. Maddox was transferred to the ASTP and sent to the University of Maine. In June 1945, 1 too, was sent to the University of Maine. Both of us remained there in the ASTP until the entire ASTP program was disbanded in December of 1945. Upon the dismantling of the ASTP John and I were sent to segregated Army units in Camp (now Fort Campbell) while our white counterparts were sent to combat units overseas. After discharge in the summer and fall of 1946, John Maddox returned to the University of Iowa after a short stay at Indiana University. He graduated in 1950 with a BS degree in Civil Engineering. After an illustrious career with the Corps of Engineers and, Air Force, the Bay Area Rapid Transit and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit, he retired in Austin, Texas. He passed on May 17, 1999. He is listed in the Iowa Alumni Magazine February 2000 issue. I returned to the University of Iowa in June 1947 to pursue a degree in electrical engineering because I could not get an engineering education in the State of Kentucky. I graduated in June 1948 with a BS degree in electrical engineering. I have included some information on what I have done since being in the ASTRP and the ASTP. In summary, the ASTRP and the ASTP was a very successful social experiment in democracy in a segregated army, an opportunity for some one of color to compete on the basis of educational merit vs discrimination on the basis of race or some other non-relevant issues. John and I paid our dues and repaid this country's investment in our education. We excelled in our careers with the department of the Army and/or the department of the Air Force. We contributed to our communities to the betterment of the welfare of our fellowman. Thanks for your article in the Iowa Alumni Magazine. It gave me a chance to reminisce of a wonderful time in our lives and to share with a fellow ASTPer and Iowa Alumni. Please feel free to share this information with others.

University of Iowa College of Engineering Distinguished Service Award

Thomas E. Daniels (BS 1948 in Electrical Engineering) holds a Master's degree in Business Administration from Mon-mouth College. He is also a graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Mr. Daniels provided principal advice, assistance and guidance while employed as Special Assistant to the Director for Space and Strategic Systems in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Research, Development and Acquisition) and Assistant Director of Army Research and Technology at the Pentagon. Prior to that he was Acting Director of the Combat Surveillance and Target Acquisition Uboratory of the U. S. Army Electronics Research and Development Command in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, and a member of the Senior Executive Service. His work has influenced long range strategy, planning and prioritization of space technology and space systems. He has decades of broad professional experience in design, development, production, and fielding of complex electronic equip-ment to the U.S. Army. His experience has included systems development, systems integration, electronic digital computers, electronic warfare systems, navigation systems, satellite systems, ground surveillance radars, nuclear radiation detection and measurement systems, identification friend-or-foe equipment, meteorological data systems and special sensors, high level panels, source selection boards, and study groups. Among the many professional awards he holds are two Aviation Research and Development Command Commander's Awards, Secretary of the Army Award for Outstanding Achievement in Equal Employment Opportunity, the Ul Distinguished Service Award, and many Outstanding Performance Awards. He also holds the Department of the Army Exceptional Civilian Service Award and the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, which is the Army's second-highest civilian award, for his technical and managerial skills. He has been a member of the Institute of Navigation, the Army Aviation Association of America, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the American Defense Preparedness Association, and the Armed Forces Communications Electron-ics Association. He has published a number of articles and papers on air traffic control, navigation, electronic warfare systems, and radar systems. He has presented papers at national and international symposia, including NATO.

Biographical Sketch For Thomas E. Daniels 2002

Thomas E. Daniels is President of a Business Management Consulting firm and Vice President of the African American Heritage Association of Mon.mouth County with his wife Maxine, who is President. He retired from the Department of the Army as a Space Technology Executive after 38 years of exceptional meritorious service. Thirty five years of this time was spent at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, where he was the second African American director of a major Army research and development laboratory, and a recognized technical and management expert in the development of position location, navigation, air traffic control and electronic warfare equipments and systems. He also spent two years teaching electronic engineering and designing and installing an electronic engineering laboratory at Prairie View A&M University at Prairie View, Texas. Although retired, Mr. Daniels leads a very committed life mostly with his wife, Maxine, in civil rights, human relations, youth, education, religious, and entrepreneurial activities. He is a founder and currently active member of the following organizations: *Inter Community Coordinating Council, a Headstart Agency, (for over 30 years), with 13 Centers in Monmouth County. He is a past chairman of the board of directors. *The Monmouth County Human Relations Commission, twelve years old. He is a past chairman. He regularly speaks to community groups on the commission's role and function in reducing hate/bias incidents and racial profiling. *The St. Stephen's Urban Development Corporation, a 90 unit garden apartment housing development built 30 years ago. He is President of the Board of Directors. *Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PACCI), thirteen years old. He is Chairman of the By-Laws and Legislative Committee and Entrepreneurial Training Institute Committee. He was a facilitator for the State Entrepreneurial Training Institute hosted by PACCI in Asbury Park 1998-1999. He promotes business incubators. *He is Chairman of the Board and Co-Administrator of a 20 weeks, 3 hours per week, Computer Science Program (PAC) for minority students at Monmouth University. This is a partnership between Monmouth University School of Science, Technology and Engineering and the Community based Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. It ended its 18th year in May 2002. PAC has tutored over 1300 minority students. He encourages minority students to consider informational technology, science, and engineering careers and entrepreneurship. *He is historian and Monmouth County representative of a national technical organization - Science, Mathematics, Research, and Technology (S.M.A.R.T.), a twelve year old organization encouraging minority youth to enter science, and technical careers and entrepreneurship. *He is an active member of the New Jersey Aff=ative Action Consortium. *He is currently active in St Stephen A.M.E. Zion Church, a former Trustee President, chaired the church building Specifications Committee and was an Advisor to its Dry Cleaning Business and its Child Development Center. *Alumni Chapter of the Asbury Park-Neptune Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, a life member, former president, and current Chairman of Scholarship and Youth Programs. *Mr. Daniels is Chairman of the Labor and Industry, and Education Committee of the Asbury Park-Neptune NAACP, a Iffe member of over 30 years and past vice president. He often serves as Coordinator for the combined chapters of NAACP in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. I A former member of the Monmouth University Business Council; and was a member of the now deftmct African American Studies Advisory Committee. A former member of the Hispanic Affairs Resource Center Board of Directors, a county wide Hispanic umbrella social agency. Mr. Daniels also has memberships in other technical, social, civil rights, youth and religious organizations. A former member of the Retired Senior Executive Association, providing advice and consulting services to the Commanding General of Fort Monmouth. Mr. Daniels has received many professional awards including the coveted Department of the Army Exceptional Meritorious Award for his work on the Army's space technology program at the Pentagon. This is the Army's highest award. He also received the Secretary of the Army's Award for Affirmative Action. He received the University of Iowa College of Engineering Distinguished Service Award. In February 1996, he was inducted into the University of Iowa College of Engineering Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy. He is the recipient of many Community Service Awards, among them the National Conference of Christians and Jews Brotherhood Award. He was chosen as one of City News' Most Influential, May 2, 1996. He is the recipient of many Kappa Alpha Psi and NAACP Distinguished Service Awards. Mr Daniels was awarded an honorary Doctor of Public Service by Monmouth University in May, 2001. Mr. Daniels is listed in many Who's Who as one worthy of public recognition. Listed in: Who's Who Among Human Service Professionals, 1988 Who's Who in Aviation and Aerospace, 1983 Who's Who in Technology, 1982 Who's Who in the East, 1955 to present Who's Who in Commerce and Industry, 1968-1969 Who's Who in Finance and Industry, 1970-1981 Who's Who in the South and Southwest, 1954 Mr. Daniels has a B.S. Degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Iowa and an MBA from Monmouth University. He is married to Maxine, has 7 children, 17 grandchildren, and 3 great grand children. He lives with his wife, Maxine, in Oakhurst, New Jersey.

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