August Schomburg
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
(Ret.) August Schomburg (born July 3rd, 1908) was the Commander of the United States Army Ballistic Missle Command, and later Commandant of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He retired from Active Duty military service in 1967, and died in 1972. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery
with his loving wife Fern Wynne Schomburg who remained faithful to him until her death in 1996.
In April 1944 he was called to the War Department General Staff, where he was assigned to G-3 until February 1946. The following three years he spent at Ottawa, Canada as Assistant Military Attaché, U. S. Embassy, and Liaison Officer with the Canadian Army.
In September 1949 he was assigned to Watertown Arsenal, Watertown, Massachusetts, where he remained until July 29, 1952 as Director of Research, Development and Engineering. The following year he spent as a student at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort McNair, Washington, DC, graduating in June 1953. He was named Chief, Procurement Branch, G-4, Logistics, for United States Army in Europe, in 1953, with headquarters at Heidelberg, Germany.
On April 27, 1956, General Schomburg was appointed Chief, Research and Development Division, Office, Chief of Ordnance. General Schomburg became Deputy Chief of Ordnance on 2 May 1958. He commanded the U.S. Army Ordnance Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, predecessor to the U.S. Army Missile Command (later merged with the U.S. Army Aviation and Troop Command to form the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in 1997), where he worked with Dr. Werner Von Braun in the development of the Nike-Zeus and Hercules class missle systems from February 1960 to May 24, 1962. He assisted with the official transfer of authority of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) to the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) on July 1, 1960. General Schomburg later served as Commandant of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair prior to his retirement in 1967. He died in January 1972 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. He was inducted into the Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame in 1985.
with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
(Ret.) August Schomburg (born July 3rd, 1908) was the Commander of the United States Army Ballistic Missle Command, and later Commandant of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He retired from Active Duty military service in 1967, and died in 1972. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
with his loving wife Fern Wynne Schomburg who remained faithful to him until her death in 1996.
Education
Lieutenant General August Schomburg was born in Denver, Colorado, July 3rd, 1908. Following graduation from West Denver High School in 1926, he attended the Colorado School of Mines for a year before entering the U. S. Military Academy at West Point. He was graduated from the West Point on June 11, 1931, with a degree in Military Science and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in the Regular Army.Work
During the early years of his military career he served various Infantry assignments. In 1937 he transferred to Ordnance and attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, receiving his Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. He attended the Ordnance School at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland and remained at the Proving Ground serving successively as Adjutant before going to the staff of the Ordnance Research and Development Center for tours as Chief, Small Arms Section; Executive Officer, Proving Center and Commanding Officer of the Ordnance Winter Proving Center in Canada.In April 1944 he was called to the War Department General Staff, where he was assigned to G-3 until February 1946. The following three years he spent at Ottawa, Canada as Assistant Military Attaché, U. S. Embassy, and Liaison Officer with the Canadian Army.
In September 1949 he was assigned to Watertown Arsenal, Watertown, Massachusetts, where he remained until July 29, 1952 as Director of Research, Development and Engineering. The following year he spent as a student at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort McNair, Washington, DC, graduating in June 1953. He was named Chief, Procurement Branch, G-4, Logistics, for United States Army in Europe, in 1953, with headquarters at Heidelberg, Germany.
On April 27, 1956, General Schomburg was appointed Chief, Research and Development Division, Office, Chief of Ordnance. General Schomburg became Deputy Chief of Ordnance on 2 May 1958. He commanded the U.S. Army Ordnance Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, predecessor to the U.S. Army Missile Command (later merged with the U.S. Army Aviation and Troop Command to form the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in 1997), where he worked with Dr. Werner Von Braun in the development of the Nike-Zeus and Hercules class missle systems from February 1960 to May 24, 1962. He assisted with the official transfer of authority of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) to the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) on July 1, 1960. General Schomburg later served as Commandant of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair prior to his retirement in 1967. He died in January 1972 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. He was inducted into the Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame in 1985.
Awards
Lieutenant General Schomburg was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of MeritLegion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Distinguished Service MedalDefense Distinguished Service MedalThe Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a United States military award which is presented for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to national security or defense of the United States...
Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
with one oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal