Malcolm Dale Best

Malcolm Dale Best

January 8, 1925 – September 17,  2021

Malcolm Dale Best, 96, of Indianapolis passed away September 17, 2021.   He was born January 8, 1925 to William E. Best and Norma J. Best of Washington, Indiana.

Dale was a WW II veteran flying from his home base of Okinawa.  Dale and his crew flew a VPB-123, PB4Y-2. He was the top turret gunner and an aviation mechanic from April to September, 1945.  Their mission was to destroy all Japanese shipping in and around Japan, Korea and the China Coast.  They also bombed factories, seaports and railroad trains In Korea, which were held by the Japanese.

It took 56 years but the PB4Y crew belatedly received the Distinguished Flying Cross and 2 Air Medals for their actions while in combat. Dale was inducted into the Enlisted Combat Air Crew Roll of Honor.  This is a mark of distinction for those veterans who made an exceptional contribution to their country.

After returning home in 1945, Dale attended two years at Purdue University. He was a mechanical engineer for Allison’s for over 30 years.  He also owned Best Appliance and Hardware for many years.

Dale was very active in community projects.  Dale’s neighborhood of approximately 144 homes began to flood in the 1990’s. Heavy rains flooded basements, damaged vehicles, damaged homes and some even had to use rowboats to get around their neighborhood after a big rain.  After appealing to the city, state and federal governments for help, the Army Corps of Engineers proposed a $4.l million flood control project which was immediately “shot down” by city engineers as to expensive. Following this defeat, at a Decatur Township  Civic Council in February, 1991 all heads turned to Dale as “the man for the Job” Purchasing a dump truck, bulldozer and backhoe at his own expense he began building a levee one-half mile long and 30 feet deep.  It was a 5 year project and Dale never asked for compensation from anyone.  He received donations of sand and gravel that he hauled in his dump truck at his expense and filled a 400 foot hole and a 7 foot hole the levee is 10 feet wide, expands ½ mile and is 10 feet high.  After stop orders and other setbacks Dale completed the project.  Neighbors took up a collection for fuel to help him in his endeavor.    He was featured on a nightly news program and was proclaimed by Readers Digest as a modern day hero.  Mayor Stephen Goldsmith declared May 11, 1995 “Dale Best Day”.  When it was all over all he had to say was “what can I say, I like to play in the dirt.”

Dale loved his “big boy toys”.  He had his pilot license and owned his own plane for several years.  He liked to go for quiet plane rides like we would go for an afternoon drive.  He also owned a motorcycle and several times a year would take cross country trips with some of his motorcycle buddies.  At one time he decided he wanted a new hobby.  So he purchased a 1931 Model A, took it home, took it apart piece by piece and never put it back together. Years later his son purchased the Model A and hauled it home in boxes and buckets.  He was adventurous and always ready for new experiences.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Best, 2 sons, Edwin Stephen Best and Michael David Best.  Also 2 brothers, Kenneth Dean Best and Ronnie Joe Best and 1 sister, Maxine Stokes.  Also preceding him in death is a grandson, Jason Dean Oldham and a great grandson Devon Koy Stone.  He is survived by his daughters, Dala Stahley (Steve) and Sheila Reynolds (Steve) and a son Albert Wells (Sharon), 10 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

Visitation will begin at noon on Friday, September 24, 2021 at Flanner and Buchanan Floral Park. Funeral service will immediately follow at 1:00 p.m.  with a Military honor ceremony at the grave site at Floral Park.  The family is requesting masks be worn inside the funeral home.