Daniel Forbes

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Daniel Hugh Forbes, Jr. was born (June 6, 1920 - June 5, 1948) was an American aviator.

Born in Carbondale, Kansas, the only child of Daniel Sr., and Hattie Forbes of Topeka, Kansas. He married the former Hazel Moog of Defiance, Ohio, having graduated North High School in Wichita, Kansas.

Later, he attended Wichita University (now Wichita State University) and Kansas State College, in Manhattan, Kansas (now Kansas State University)

He joined the United States Army on June 5, 1941, as an Aviation Cadet.

He became one of the pioneers of strategic photoreconnaissance flying combat missions from bases in North Africa and India piloting the B-17, B-24, and several other aircraft. He continued the photoreconnaissance missions in the Pacific theater flying the B-29 airframe (re-designated F-13) and continued through the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests.

Forbes was killed on June 5, 1948, when the Northrop YB-49 "Flying Wing" he was piloting crashed north of Muroc Air Force Base. All five crewmembers were lost.

The Army airfield in Topeka, Kansas was renamed and dedicated as Forbes Air Force Base on July 13, 1949 in honor of Maj. Daniel Forbes, Jr.