Daniel James Unger was born in Norfolk, Nebraska on May 29th, 1944, to Lawrence and Noreen (Beller) Unger. Dan was the oldest of five sisters: Dixie DeBlauw, Maxine Bauermeister, Peg Hoffbauer, MaryAnn Rotherham and Beverly Benson, and one brother, Michael Unger. As a child, he attended Grant Elementary school as a Kindergartener and then to Sacred Heart Elementary School. He graduated from Burns High School, now known as Norfolk Catholic High School, in 1962.  Attended the Norfolk Junior College and worked to help support his family after his father passed way in 1961.  He continued working and attending college on a part time basis until being drafted in April 24th, 1968.

He left for Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) in Ft. Lewis, Washington in April  1968.  Unger was assigned and sent to Vietnam to the 1st Infantry Division BIG RED ONE, 2nd Battalion (Mechanized), 2nd Infantry in April of 1969. He attained the rank of (E-5) Sargent with an Army Expert Shooting Badge, Vietnam Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Bronze Star Medal. He received an Honorable Discharge on January 16th 1970.  When he returned home he completed the course work at the Norfolk Junior College and graduated with a degree in business and continued on with college at Wayne State College.  He also continued his military service with the U.S. Army Reserve until he received an Honorable Discharge from the Reserve on April 13th, 1974.

Unger married Mary Lynn Moore in 1971.  From that marriage there were two children: Michael Shawn Unger and Shari Lynn Hammond.  He later married Dorothy Uher on July 5th 1983 and has four stepchildren: Beverly Ann Doering, Sandra Jean Heimes, Scott Joseph Uher and Brenda Lee King.  Unger worked for the Nebraska Department of Roads for 10 years and then went to work for Nucor Corporation in 1976 until his retirement in 2011 after 35 years of service.

                Unger enjoys spending time with his twenty grandchildren and traveling with his wife Dorothy. Some of his hobbies are spending time with his family, golfing, attending daily mass at the convent, volunteering and working out at the YMCA, Teammate mentor, listening to country music and following his favorite sports teams, Nebraska Cornhuskers, New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, and the Boston Celtics.