In the early days of aerial espionage, balloons floated over the skies of Europe, seeking to gather information from across enemy lines. Today, unmanned aircraft dubbed Predators patrol the skies of Afghanistan, looking to destroy the Taliban without risking American lives. Somewhere between the beginning of this evolving phenomenon and now, Pacific Beach resident Dale Weaver trained members of the United States Air Force in this technology. While working for Ryan Aeronautics in the 1960s, he was sent by his employers to Vietnam. The Air Force contracted Weaver’s company to help find safer and more effective ways to gather sensitive information. “There are certain jobs that really don’t make sense for man to do, and penetration reconnaissance is one of them — if you can in fact get the same job done with the people some place else,” Weaver said. Although he was a civilian, Weaver participated in missions while members of the Air Force caught up with this quickly-changing field. One plane even had the words “Dale’s Eye in the Sky” inscribed on its side. A humble gentleman, Weaver claims the decal was in reference to both him and Colonel John Dale. The unmanned aircraft called drones started out as a means of training, mainly for target practice. It wasn’t long before cameras and monitors were added to get a look at enemy movements and capture electronic signals. High resolution cameras were used to view objects within inches from thousands of feet above. When American troops left Vietnam, the need for drones in the U.S. military quickly dissipated. Weaver helped with various other projects all around the world. About 15 years ago he unofficially retired but continued to help out his former employer a few months a year. Five years ago, Weaver decided to pull back completely and enjoy the comforts of his Pacific Beach Drive home with his wife of 45 years, Jo Ann Weaver. Dale Weaver’s contributions have not been forgotten. On Feb. 19, he was honored at the Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando. He was presented the Jimmy Doolittle Education Fellow award for his work in the evolution of remotely piloted vehicles, as a member of the Firebee “Lightning Bug” program. “It was quite spectacular,” Weaver said of the gala that included several four-star generals. “I wore a tuxedo and I’m not really a tuxedo kind of guy.” Staying busy since retirement, Weaver recently spent a year on the San Diego County Grand Jury. These days he is a proud squad leader of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program’s Traffic Division. “I feel like I’m giving something back to the community,” Weaver said about volunteering. “It’s a good community to give something back to.” To find out more about Weaver and the drones he helped develop in Vietnam look for “Reconnaissance Drones — The can-do story of Ryan’s unmanned spy planes,” by William Wagner, which can be found at the San Diego County Library or Amazon.com.
