David Meyer, a 1962 graduate of Marysville High School, was recently named to the Ohio Veteran’s Hall of Fame. (Photo submitted)
This year, one local man will observe Veteran’s Day as one of the newest members of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.
David G. Meyer is a member of the Marysville High School class of 1962 and a 2020 inductee into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame. Other members of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame include former Presidents, war heroes, astronauts, Medal of Honor recipients, community leaders, volunteers, philanthropists, inventors, public servants, government officers and others.
Meyer was one of 20 selected from the 866,000 eligible Ohio veterans to receive this 2020 award. Last week, Gov. Mike DeWine and staff, presented the award and recognized Dr. Meyer’s selfless sacrifice and dedication here and abroad.
The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame recognizes the efforts of Ohio’s distinguished men and women who have worn the uniform of our nation’s armed forces and then continue to contribute to their communities.
“The program is not intended to focus on what Ohio military members accomplished while in uniform but rather what has occurred in their lives outside of and beyond their military service,” according to the Hall of Fame.
In 1960, Meyer’s father took a job at the Eljer plant in moving the family to the community.
He said that one week after graduating, he joined the Air Force.
While in the U.S. Air Force, Meyer was honored as the top student at his aviation mechanics school. His commanding officer notified him of the honor and told him it would help him throughout his military career. Meyer served as a crew chief on an F100, a supersonic jet fighter bomber. He said his scores and ability helped him in a variety of ways and opened numerous opportunities for him.
“They kept giving me more and more,” Meyer said.
Through his time in the service, Meyer served temporarily in 14 different countries including England, Vietnam, Cambodia, Libya, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Germany, France, Belgium, Norway, Sweden and others.
“Our mission was to assist our NATO allies,” Meyer said of his role.
A Vietnam veteran with a top-secret security clearance, Meyer had the opportunity to do “many spectacular things” and received many awards during his time in the Air Force.
While he had opportunities to continue his service beyond his four-year commitment, he said he had “a belly full of it” so he left at the end of his contract.
Two months after leaving the Air Force, Meyer learned of the G.I. Bill that would pay for his college education. Meyer went to The Ohio State University earning a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology.
Meyer was one of seven children whose family had, “no means of going to college.” He said he knows the G.I. Bill gave him an opportunity he would not have had otherwise.
“I have always been a star pupil,” Meyer said. “I always went above and beyond to make sure things were right.”
After graduation, Meyer took a job a Scotts and built a home on Locust Street. He left in 1972, taking a job in the steel, oil and gas industry. Eventually he moved into plant management at a medical supply company working with plastics.
Meyer said he worked in manufacturing, “designing and building eight turn-key manufacturing plants in six countries” in addition to leading research and development.
A multi-state Registered Professional Engineer, Meyer also secured patents and wrote textbooks on the manufacturing process.
“I enjoyed what I did,” Meyer said, noting that he owes, “my whole career to my military career.”
He said the experience and discipline he learned in the military prepared him for success in business.
“The military is what really made me,” Meyer said.
He said he is proud of the number of brothers who also went into military service and that his sister married a veteran.
Meyer eventually earned his PhD from The Ohio State University.
For 14 years, Meyer taught at University of Dayton’s college of engineering. Additionally, he taught engineering at The Ohio State University and chaired the Engineering Technology program and taught Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) at Sinclair Community College in Dayton.
Now Meyer sits on several local boards as well as volunteering his expertise to manufacturers.
“I enjoy helping strengthen manufacturing entities,” Meyer said.