Presentation Date: September 23, 2018
Aviation Archeologist David Trojan
Dave was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1961. His father was a salesman; his mother was an office worker. He grew up in Livonia, Michigan and graduated from Stevenson High School in 1979. With his parents’ permission, he joined the Navy when he was only 17 years old.
He served as an Aviation Electronics Technician in P-3 Orion squadrons including:
-- Patrol Squadron One, NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii 1979-1981
-- Patrol Squadron Forty-Six, NAS Moffett Field, California 1982-1985
-- Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Hawaii 1986-1989
-- Helicopter Detachment at Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands, Hawaii
1990-1994
-- Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Hawaii 1994-1997
-- Patrol Squadron Forty-Seven, MCBH Kaneohe, Hawaii 1997-2000
After 21 years in the Navy, he retired from active duty in 2000.
Dave then became a government civilian employee (Tech Rep) at the Naval Air Technical Data and Engineering Service Command (NATEC) Detachment, MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii assisting the military with helicopter and aircraft communication, navigation, and electronic warfare equipment.
He left the Hawaiian Islands in December 2007 and lived near Luke AFB, Arizona and Columbus AFB, Mississippi before settling down in Northern California near Travis AFB in 2012.
Dave’s education, training, awards, and certifications include:
-- FCC General Radio-Telephone License with Radar Endorsement.
-- Associate in Science degree, Applied Trade Degree in Electronics, from Honolulu, Hawaii Community College.
-- Master Electronics Technician by Electronics Technicians Association International.
-- Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics with a minor in Safety from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Soon after retiring from the military, he began working on his Master’s Degree in Professional Aeronautics. During this time, he started a very ambitious graduate research project focusing on the environment, contents, and conditions of WWII aircraft crash sites on the Hawaiian island of Oahu to determine their usefulness as the subject for case studies in Aviation Archaeology.
During his investigations of World War II sites, he discovered that each was unique and had a story to tell. His goal is to educate the public about aviation history and tell the stories that go with each case. Visiting a crash site can have a tremendous impact on one’s awareness and understanding of the time period and can provide a unique education for future generations.
To date, his travels nationwide and across the Pacific have included:
-- more than 500+ aircraft crash sites in 15 states
-- Pacific sites including Midway Island, Japan, and Korea.
-- recovery of hundreds of aircraft-related artifacts for several museums.
Dave has:
-- authored dozens of articles published in the Navy News, MCBH Kaneohe News, Luke AFB News, and several other base newspapers.
-- written for several periodicals including Naval Aviation Magazine and WWI Aero magazine.
-- presented the military’s policy on protection and preservation of historic sites
on the worldwide Armed Forces Radio and Television Network.
-- given lectures to the Civil Air Patrol, FAA, Pilots Associations, American Aviation Historical Society, and university students concerning Aviation Archaeology and aviation history.
He likes to say "Every wreck has a story to tell." He likes to discover the facts, fill in the blanks, explain the reasons why the planes crashed, and finally lay the questions to rest by writing the stories. The tales honor those who have sacrificed so much to give us the peace we enjoy today.
Dave is currently assisting the Travis AFB Heritage Center by researching and documenting base history, aircraft histories, and aircraft accidents associated with the base.
After military retirement, Dave married Christine in Hawaii in 2005. She is a former US Army Huey pilot and is currently a USAF Nurse at Travis AFB. The couple resides In Vacaville.