Bernard Adolph Schriever
Encyclopedia
General Bernard Adolph Schriever (September 14, 1910 – June 20, 2005), also known as Bennie Schriever, was a United States Air Force
general. He was born in Bremen, Germany, and after immigrating to the United States
, played a major role in the U.S. Air Force programs for space and ballistic missile
research.
was becoming heated. His mother, Elizabeth, was able to get passage for herself and her two sons aboard a Dutch freighter bound for New York
so that she could rejoin her husband. The family arrived in January 1917, just before the United States entered the war.
Schriever and his family moved to New Braunfels, Texas
, a community with a large German-speaking population, and then later to San Antonio, Texas
. His father died in an accident in 1918, leaving Schriever and his brother in foster care until his grandmother was able to come from Germany to take care of them so that their mother could work.
Schriever became a naturalized citizen in 1923. He earned a Bachelor of Science
from Texas A&M University
in 1931 while participating in the school's Corps of Cadets. He received a commission in the Army
artillery
, but in July 1932 began flight training at Randolph Field. He was commissioned into the Army Air Corps
in June 1933. He served in Panama
where he was an aide to Brigadier General George H. Brett
. He met, wooed, and married the General's eldest daughter, Dora Devol Brett.
at Albrook Field, Schriever was forced out of the Air Corps in 1937 due to budget cuts and became a pilot with Northwest Airlines
. The following year he rejoined the military, becoming a test pilot. He graduated from the Air Corps Engineering School
in July 1941, and received an M.A.
in aeronautical engineering from Stanford University
in 1942, also receiving a promotion to the rank of major
.
Although Schriever had requested to be transferred to a combat zone after the bombing of Pearl Harbor
launched the US into World War II
, his request was not approved until after his studies were completed. In July 1942 he was assigned to the 19th Bomb Group in the Pacific theatre as a bomber pilot.
When his unit was reassigned to the States in 1943, Schriever moved to the 5th Air Force Service Command
where he eventually became commanding officer of advanced headquarters for the Far East Air Service Command
, serving under General Curtis LeMay
. This meant he was now in charge of maintenance for bases in New Guinea
, Leyte
, Manila
, and Okinawa, Japan. By the end of the war he had worked his way to Colonel
.
After the war ended, Schriever reported to the Army Air Forces Headquarters, serving in various capacities for much of the next decade. In this time he also graduated from the National War College
, and earned a promotion to Brigadier General
.
In 1954 he headed a group of USAF officers who formed the Western Development Division under the Air Research Development Command. This division was responsible for creating the intercontinental ballistic missile, among others. The research also led to breakthroughs that allowed satellites to be launched into space.
Schriever’s work often brought him into conflict with the “manned” Air Force, especially his former commanding officer, Gen. Curtis LeMay. LeMay opposed Schreiver’s development of rockets as strategic weapons delivery systems, believing that rockets deflected valuable resources, manpower, and funding away from LeMay’s manned bomber aircraft. LeMay believed that American nuclear superiority over (or at least parity with) the Soviet Union could only be maintained by the continued development and deployment of larger, faster, and more powerful manned bombers. After Schriever received the four stars of a full General, LeMay pointedly informed him that had it been up to LeMay, Schriever "would not have been wearing those."
Schriever was promoted to full general on July 1, 1961 and became commander of a new organization, the Air Force Systems Command
, which was responsible for acquiring all missiles. By 1963, he oversaw 40 percent of the Air Force budget.
was named for him.
He was awarded the Delmer S. Fahrney Medal in 1982.
On October 5, 1997 Schriever married his second wife, popular singer Joni James
. He had three children- Brett, Dodie, and Barbara- from his first marriage to Dora Devol Brett, daughter of Lt. General George H. Brett
.
In 2004, the Space Foundation
awarded General Schriever its highest honor, the General James E. Hill
Lifetime Space Achievement Award, which is presented annually to recognize outstanding individuals who have distinguished themselves through lifetime contributions to the welfare or betterment of humankind through the exploration, development and use of space, or the use of space technology, information, themes or resources in academic, cultural, industrial or other pursuits of broad benefit to humanity.
General Schriever died on June 20, 2005 at the age of 94 from complications of pneumonia
.
A Fiery Peace in a Cold War, a book by Neil Sheehan
, describes in detail Schriever's work during the Cold War years.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
general. He was born in Bremen, Germany, and after immigrating to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, played a major role in the U.S. Air Force programs for space and ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
research.
Early years
Bernard Adolph Schriever was born in Bremen, Germany. His father was an engineering officer on a German ship which was interned in New York Harbor in 1916, as World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
was becoming heated. His mother, Elizabeth, was able to get passage for herself and her two sons aboard a Dutch freighter bound for New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
so that she could rejoin her husband. The family arrived in January 1917, just before the United States entered the war.
Schriever and his family moved to New Braunfels, Texas
New Braunfels, Texas
New Braunfels is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas that is a principal city of the metropolitan area. Braunfels means "brown rock" in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city's population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000...
, a community with a large German-speaking population, and then later to San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. His father died in an accident in 1918, leaving Schriever and his brother in foster care until his grandmother was able to come from Germany to take care of them so that their mother could work.
Schriever became a naturalized citizen in 1923. He earned a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
from Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in 1931 while participating in the school's Corps of Cadets. He received a commission in the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
, but in July 1932 began flight training at Randolph Field. He was commissioned into the Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
in June 1933. He served in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
where he was an aide to Brigadier General George H. Brett
George Brett (military)
George Howard Brett was a United States Army Air Forces General during World War II. An Early Bird of Aviation, Brett served as a staff officer in World War I...
. He met, wooed, and married the General's eldest daughter, Dora Devol Brett.
Career
After serving in PanamaPanama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
at Albrook Field, Schriever was forced out of the Air Corps in 1937 due to budget cuts and became a pilot with Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
. The following year he rejoined the military, becoming a test pilot. He graduated from the Air Corps Engineering School
Air Force Institute of Technology
The Air Force Institute of Technology is a graduate school and provider of professional and continuing education that is part of the United States Air Force. It is located on Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. A component of Air University and Air Education and Training Command, AFIT has been...
in July 1941, and received an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in aeronautical engineering from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1942, also receiving a promotion to the rank of major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
.
Although Schriever had requested to be transferred to a combat zone after the bombing of Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
launched the US into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, his request was not approved until after his studies were completed. In July 1942 he was assigned to the 19th Bomb Group in the Pacific theatre as a bomber pilot.
When his unit was reassigned to the States in 1943, Schriever moved to the 5th Air Force Service Command
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
where he eventually became commanding officer of advanced headquarters for the Far East Air Service Command
United States Far East Air Force
The Far East Air Force was the military aviation arm of the United States Army in the Philippines just prior to and at the beginning of World War II. Formed on 16 November 1941, FEAF was the predecessor of the Fifth Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air...
, serving under General Curtis LeMay
Curtis LeMay
Curtis Emerson LeMay was a general in the United States Air Force and the vice presidential running mate of American Independent Party candidate George Wallace in 1968....
. This meant he was now in charge of maintenance for bases in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, and Okinawa, Japan. By the end of the war he had worked his way to Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
.
After the war ended, Schriever reported to the Army Air Forces Headquarters, serving in various capacities for much of the next decade. In this time he also graduated from the National War College
National War College
The National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
, and earned a promotion to Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
.
In 1954 he headed a group of USAF officers who formed the Western Development Division under the Air Research Development Command. This division was responsible for creating the intercontinental ballistic missile, among others. The research also led to breakthroughs that allowed satellites to be launched into space.
Schriever’s work often brought him into conflict with the “manned” Air Force, especially his former commanding officer, Gen. Curtis LeMay. LeMay opposed Schreiver’s development of rockets as strategic weapons delivery systems, believing that rockets deflected valuable resources, manpower, and funding away from LeMay’s manned bomber aircraft. LeMay believed that American nuclear superiority over (or at least parity with) the Soviet Union could only be maintained by the continued development and deployment of larger, faster, and more powerful manned bombers. After Schriever received the four stars of a full General, LeMay pointedly informed him that had it been up to LeMay, Schriever "would not have been wearing those."
Schriever was promoted to full general on July 1, 1961 and became commander of a new organization, the Air Force Systems Command
Air Force Systems Command
Air Force Systems Command is a former United States Air Force command. Its headquarters was located at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland...
, which was responsible for acquiring all missiles. By 1963, he oversaw 40 percent of the Air Force budget.
Later years
He retired in 1966, although he continued to act as an advisor for various corporate and government clients. In honor of his service, on June 5, 1998, Schriever Air Force BaseSchriever Air Force Base
Schriever Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located approximately 10 miles east of Peterson AFB near Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States.-Overview:...
was named for him.
He was awarded the Delmer S. Fahrney Medal in 1982.
On October 5, 1997 Schriever married his second wife, popular singer Joni James
Joni James
Joni James is an American singer of traditional pop music and jazz standards.-Biography:...
. He had three children- Brett, Dodie, and Barbara- from his first marriage to Dora Devol Brett, daughter of Lt. General George H. Brett
George Brett (military)
George Howard Brett was a United States Army Air Forces General during World War II. An Early Bird of Aviation, Brett served as a staff officer in World War I...
.
In 2004, the Space Foundation
Space Foundation
The Space Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports the global space industry through information and education programs. It is a resource for the entire space community - industry, national security organizations, civil space agencies, private space companies and the military around the...
awarded General Schriever its highest honor, the General James E. Hill
James E. Hill
General James E. Hill was a World War II flying ace, U.S. Air Force General, and commander in chief of the North American Air Defense Command and the U.S. Air Force Aerospace Defense Command, with consolidated headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado.-Biography:Hill was...
Lifetime Space Achievement Award, which is presented annually to recognize outstanding individuals who have distinguished themselves through lifetime contributions to the welfare or betterment of humankind through the exploration, development and use of space, or the use of space technology, information, themes or resources in academic, cultural, industrial or other pursuits of broad benefit to humanity.
General Schriever died on June 20, 2005 at the age of 94 from complications of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
.
A Fiery Peace in a Cold War, a book by Neil Sheehan
Neil Sheehan
Cornelius Mahoney "Neil" Sheehan is an American journalist. As a reporter for The New York Times in 1971, Sheehan obtained the classified Pentagon Papers from Daniel Ellsberg. His series in the Times revealed a secret U.S. Department of Defense history of the Vietnam War and resulted in government...
, describes in detail Schriever's work during the Cold War years.