Daniel F. Rex was born on December 4, 1916, in Wichita, Kansas. His father, a physician, passed away when Rex was only six months old, leading him to be raised by his mother and maternal grandparents. His grandfather, Lloyd Farrell, a telegrapher and pioneer in Wichita, played a significant role in his upbringing and served as a father figure. Rex's early life was marked by adventure and responsibility, including a trip to Yucatan at the age of fourteen to buy 1100 head of cattle. He completed his high school education in Wichita, with a year in Washington serving as Senator Capper's pageboy. Initially, Rex pursued pre-medical studies with the intention of becoming a physician like his father. However, he eventually shifted his focus, believing there was no future in medical research. His career took a turn when he joined the Navy, where he served for about twenty-three years. During his time in the Navy, he developed an interest in tropical meteorology, which led him to consider a position at the University of Hawaii. However, an opportunity at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) presented itself, and Rex decided to join NCAR, where he made significant contributions.Walter Orr Roberts, the director of the High Altitude Observatory (HAO) and the first director of NCAR, recruited Daniel (Dan) F. Rex from the Navy in the early 1960s to join the not yet materialized national center as chief administrator officer with a focus on facilities.

Scope and Content Note
The interview with Daniel F. Rex, conducted by Earl Droessler on June 17, 1988, provides a comprehensive overview of Rex's life and career. The discussion begins with Rex's early life and upbringing in Wichita, Kansas, and his initial interest in medicine. The interview then delves into his career in the Navy, his interest in tropical meteorology, and his eventual transition to NCAR. Rex also discusses his interactions with various individuals in the field, including Walt Roberts, who first invited him to consider a position at NCAR, and Harry Wexler, with whom he had conversations about the development of atmospheric modeling. In this interview Rex talks about the planning and design that went into taking NCAR as a concept from the “Blue Book” to an organization with people, facilities, goals and purpose. Rex speaks at length about the facilities program and the facilities themselves, particularly the balloon flight facility, computing facility and aviation facility, and their significance to NCAR’s operation. The interview also touches on the challenges and dilemmas faced during his administrative role at NCAR, including decisions regarding salary structures and fringe benefits. Additionally, the interview recounts an incident involving a balloon that was supposed to destruct itself but ended up circling the globe multiple times, almost causing an international incident. Rex also shares a little bit about his life history and experiences, including family, education, professional path, war time (World War II), marriage and having children. The interview provides valuable insights into Rex's life, his career trajectory, and his contributions to meteorology and atmospheric research.

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