• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Gen. Bernard Schriever not only produced an ICBM force in The record time but also led the way to American dominance in Man space. Who By Walter J. Boyne Built the Missiles EN. Bernard A. “Bennie” Schriever, un- questionably one of the most important officers in Air Force history, ranks Galongside the legendary Hap Arnold and Curtis LeMay in terms of long-term ef- fect upon the service and the nation. Fore- most among his many achievements was the development and acquisition in the 1950s and early 1960s of a reliable and operational ICBM force. It was a towering accomplishment— one that helped propel the United States to military dominance in space, as well. No one doubts Schriever’s pivotal role in these two stupendous achievements. In April 1957, his image appeared on the cover of Time magazine, which called him “America’s Missileman.” His official USAF biography flatly proclaims that Schriever is “the archi- tect of the Air Force’s ballistic missile and military space program.” 80 AIR FORCE Magazine / October 2000 Schriever himself is quick to point in New Jersey but returned to Ger- war on Germany and joined the Al- to the critical contributions of other many, settling in Bremerhaven just lies. members of his team, but the fact as a world war was set to explode. The Schrievers, marooned in the remains that he was the man in charge. Schriever, now 90, vividly recalls US, were forced to make the best of Had the ICBM program failed or how, as a child, he would watch the it. They journeyed to Texas, settling fallen short, Schriever would have enormous German zeppelins pass in New Braunfels (a town with a been held responsible. The program overhead on their way to bomb En- large German–speaking population) succeeded beyond all expectations, gland. and later moving to San Antonio. In however. When the war eventually soured fall 1918, after his father died in an That Schriever reached the pin- German–American relations, numer- industrial accident, young Bennie and nacle of American aerospace tech- ous German ships were interned in his brother lived in a foster home for nology is an unlikely but very Ameri- New York Harbor—including his eight months until their grandmother can story. Born Sept. 14, 1910, in father’s. Faced with indefinite sepa- came from Germany to care for them Bremen, Germany, Bernard Adolph ration from her husband, Elizabeth while their mother worked. Schriever was the son of an engi- Schriever managed to get herself neering officer on a German ship and her two young sons aboard a Fascination With Aviation line. His mother, Elizabeth, spent 10 Dutch freighter bound for New York. In 1923, Schriever became a natu- years living in the New York area. It It was a very rough voyage. They ralized US citizen. He attended was there that she met her future arrived in January 1917. About three Texas A&M, graduating near the husband. The couple were married months later, Washington declared top of the class of 1931, and was AIR FORCE Magazine / October 2000 81 United States fleet in Pearl Harbor. Schriever requested immediate assignment to a combat unit. The Air Force denied the request, ordering him instead to stay in California and finish his graduate work at Stanford. He did so, earning a master’s degree in mechanical engineering (aeronau- tical) in June 1942. Within the month, Schriever joined the 19th Bombardment Group in Australia and quickly jumped into the shooting war with Japan. The Japanese had transformed Rabaul, on the northeast end of New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, into their most important base. Fero- cious opposition by fighters and flak forced the 19th by August 1942 to turn to night bombing. First commissioned in field artillery, Schriever later entered flight school and The newly minted Major Schriever participated in the Air Corp’s 1934 program to deliver airmail in aircraft like developed a flare-dispensing system this one. He flew mail from Salt Lake City to Cheyenne in B-4s and O-38s. for use in night attacks and tested it in two raids with an old Hamilton Field commissioned as a second lieuten- of the day forced him to go off active comrade, then Maj. Jack Dougherty, ant in field artillery. Though an duty and onto the inactive reserve who had survived being shot down artilleryman, Schriever long had list. over the jungles of Java. They flew been fascinated with aviation, and In the Great Depression, commer- in a formation of about a dozen B-17s he decided to enter flying school at cial flying billets were scarce, and in a night raid on Rabaul. Their air- Randolph Field, Tex. Schriever in 1935 ran a Civilian plane carried the flares and half the He did so in July 1932, but the Conservation Corps camp of 200 boys regular bomb load. The flare system move required him to revert from in New Mexico. When that job ended worked well, but Schriever wanted officer status to that of aviation ca- in October 1936, he was able to re- to check on the bombing results, so det. Flying came easily to Schriever. turn to active status. He was assigned they made another circuit over the When he graduated in June 1933 at in December to Panama, where he target area. Flak was heavy but inef- Kelly Field, Tex., he was commis- was stationed at Albrook Field as a fective at the 10,000-foot altitude sioned as a second lieutenant for the P-12 pilot. In August 1937, he ac- from which they were bombing. second time. The Army soon pro- cepted a position as a pilot with As they turned, the No. 3 engine moted him to first lieutenant and Northwest Airlines. burst into a ball of flames. Dougherty, assigned him to March Field, Calif., A year later Schriever learned that in the left seat, feathered the prop and where he flew B-4 and B-10 bomb- the Air Corps had 200 regular com- shut the engine down. They still had ers under the command of Lt. Col. missions available. He passed the bombs on board but did not want to Henry H. “Hap” Arnold. Arnold was exam for regular officer and, on Oct. set up another bombing approach. A impressed with Schriever’s abilities 1, 1938, was sworn in once again as quick conference on the intercom led and would later remember the young a second lieutenant. Schriever served to a decision: They would dive-bomb Texan when he needed an airman to with the 7th Bomb Group at Hamilton the ships in the harbor. Schriever whom scientists could relate. Field and then moved on to test pilot laughs ruefully today at the thought Schriever soon became caught up duties at Wright Field, Ohio. He flew of dive-bombing in a three-engine in the Army’s 1934 misadventure in almost every type of Army aircraft, B-17 from a relatively safe altitude carrying domestic airmail. He flew working with Stanley Umstead and down into the flak over Rabaul, but ill-equipped Army Air Corps O-38 some of the finest pilots in the world. they pulled it off, sinking a ship and and B-4 aircraft on the hazardous He attended Air Corps Engineering returning to base. Salt Lake City-to-Cheyenne, Wyo., School and graduated in July 1941. route. Neither aircraft was equipped Kenney’s Command for instrument flying. He survived, Stuck in Stanford Schriever flew 38 combat missions but many of his colleagues were Schriever gave stellar academic in B-17s, B-25s, and C-47s, but his killed. For Schriever, the “airmail and flying performances while at truly important contribution to the fiasco,” as it was called, showed the Wright Field, so much so that he war effort lay in managing the Air high price a military force and a gained admission to Stanford Uni- Corps engineering effort for Gen. nation would pay because of inferior versity’s graduate program—a rare George C. Kenney, commander of or inadequate technology. privilege for a military officer. He Fifth Air Force and ultimately com- Schriever went on to spend a six- was hitting the books in Palo Alto, manding general of Allied Air Forces month tour at Hamilton Field, Calif. Calif., when, on Dec. 7, 1941, Impe- in the Southwest Pacific. When 19th However, the tight military budgets rial Japanese forces attacked the BG was told it was being returned to 82 AIR FORCE Magazine / October 2000 the States, Kenney called Schriever in to his office. “I’m not letting you go home,” he said. “I need as much engineering help as I can get out here.” Schriever welcomed the news, for the title “engineering officer” also encompassed supply and what later became known as logistics. It was absolutely vital to the war effort in the Pacific. He became chief of the Maintenance and Engineering Divi- sion, 5th Air Force Service Com- mand, in January 1943. Thereafter, his duties expanded as the war pro- gressed. He became chief of staff, 5th Air Force Service Command, and then commander of the advance head- quarters, Far East Air Service Com- mand, where he was responsible for maintenance in 5th, 7th, and 13th Schriever flew 38 combat missions in World War II and developed a flare- Air Forces. dispensing system for night attacks and tested it from B-17s in night raids on His rank rose swiftly as he moved Rabaul. Here, bombers are on a mission to Rabaul. his headquarters from New Guinea to Leyte to Manila to Okinawa.

Load more

  7

Copy Link