Anthony T. Shtogren – Major General, United States Air Force

by

Courtesy of the United States Air Force

MAJOR GENERAL ANTHONY T. SHTOGREN
Retired August 1, 1971

Major General Anthony T. Shtogren was deputy director, J-6  (Communications-electronics), Organization of the Joint Chief of Staff, Washington, D.C.

General Shtogren was born in 1917, in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated magna cum laude from Boston College in 1939 with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry and received his master of science degree in chemistry summa cum laude from the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1940.

He began his military career in the fall of 1940 as an aviation cadet and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1941. During 1940-1941 he did graduate work in meteorology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massschusetts.

From 1942 to 1945 he served as a weather officer at Turner Field, Georgia, and with the 2d Air Division in the European Theater of Operations. Returning to the United States in May 1945, he attended advanced meteorological school at Chanute Field, Ill., and was then assigned to Langley Field, Virginia, where he served as director of Personnel and Administration, Headquarters Air Weather Service, from January to September 1946.

He entered the Columbia University Graduate School of Business in September 1946 and was awarded a master of business administration degree in July 1948.

His next assignment was with Headquarters Air Weather Service, Washington, D.C., where he served as assistant chief of staff and later deputy chief of staff, Personnel. He remained with Headquarters Air Weather Service until August 1951 when he became commander of the 2d Weather Group at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.

From September 1954 until August 1957 he was assigned to Tokyo, Japan, as deputy commander and later commander of the 1st Weather Wing. Under his command, the wing was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for its service, particularly in locating and tracking typhoons to gather vital data. During this assignment, General Shtogren was awarded his second Legion of Merit for establishing unique systems of pilot weather reporting and en route meteorological watch that materially improved flying safety within the command. He also assisted the commanders of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force, the Republic of Korea Air Force and the Chinese Nationalist Air Force in the development of a weather service.

He returned to the United States in September 1957 and was assigned as commander of the 3rd Weather Wing, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. He also served as staff weather officer to the commander in chief of the Strategic Air Command. The wing was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for its support of SAC.

In July 1963 General Shtogren assumed command of the Eastern Communications Region, Air Force Communications Service, at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts. In June 1965 he was named commander of the Pacific Communications Area at Wheeler Air Force Base, Hawaii, and from August 1966 to May 1968 he also served as deputy chief of staff, communications-electronics, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces. He became deputy director J-6 (Communications-Electronics), Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in July 1968.

His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Ribbon, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with oak leaf cluster and the Croix de Guerre with palm (France).

Anthony T. Shtogren, Major General USAF (Ret.) (1917-2003) – passed away gently on 22 March 2003 at Atlantic Shores, Virginia Beach, Virginia, after fighting with patience and determination through two months of medical challenges.

General Shtogren retired from active duty in 1971 as deputy director of the J-6 (communications-electronics) organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Born in Boston on May 13, 1917 to Peter and Albina Scholar, General Shtogren was raised by his aunt, Helen Scholar, after he and his two brothers, Emil and Harry (who have predeceased him) were orphaned when “The General” was 10. At Boston English High School he won a Latin scholarship to Boston College and graduated magna cum laude in 1939 with a BS in Chemistry, never having taken a Latin course.

He soon added a MS in Chemistry summa cum laude from Holy Cross in 1940. During this period he courted and wed Margaretta Dunkerley, who in 1998 also predeceased him after 55 years of marriage. With war brewing in Europe, the Army Air Corps recruited him for their new Weather Service. He trained at MIT in 1941 but was shipped to Turner Field in Albany, Ga. before completing work for his second Masters. This he gained in 1948 when he earned an MBA from Columbia University.

Beginning in 1941, The General served his country in many posts until his retirement in 1971. After Georgia, he went to England in August 1942, where he served as a weatherman for the 2nd Air Division (B-24’s). After the war, during which he participated in forecasting the weather for numerous operations including D-Day, he returned to the United States in May 1945 and attended advanced meteorological school at Chanute Field, Ill. He was then assigned to Langley Field, Va., where he served as director of Personnel and Administration, Headquarters Air Weather Service, from January to September 1946. He then served at Andrews Air Force Base at Air Weather HQ, until August 1951, when he received his first command, the 2102nd Air Weather Group, which became the 2nd Weather Group at Langley AFB, where he was weather advisor to Gen. Joe Canon’s Tactical Air Command. Then he went to Tokyo, where he commanded the 1st Weather Wing (Dec 54 – Jun 57) and was advisor to Gen. Lawrence Kuter’s Far East Air Command. There Col. Shtogren won the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for the smooth conversion of three reconnaissance squadrons of B-29s to the longer range B-50s without dropping a single mission. During this assignment, General Shtogren was awarded his second Legion of Merit for establishing unique systems of pilot weather reporting and en route meteorological watch that materially improved flying safety within the command. He also assisted the commanders of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force, the Republic of Korea Air Force and the Chinese Nationalist Air Force in the development of a weather service. In 1957, General Thomas Power summoned Colonel Shtogren to command the 3rd Weather Wing for the Strategic Air Command, the CIA and Air Force One. His work at Offutt helped start the AF Global Weather Central pioneering the use of computers in AF weather forecasting. The wing was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for its support of SAC.

In 1963, promoted to brigadier general, he commanded the Eastern Communications Region (Thule, Greenland to Puerto Rico; the Azores to Ohio). From 1965 to 1968, he was Commander, Pacific Communications Area. In addition to commanding all communications units in Pacific, he was responsible for Air Traffic Control west of Hawaii, and represented the United States in Air Traffic negotiations with Far East foreign governments. For his work during the Vietnam War he received the DSM. Promoted to major general, he was J-6 deputy director of communications and electronics for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, from 1968 to his retirement in 1971. One of his responsibilities was tearing down the Communications and Air Traffic systems he had built during the War.

His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm, the Army commendation Ribbon, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem, and The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with Oak Leaf Cluster.

After retiring from the Air Force, he became vice president in charge of Construction for Datran, an early data-only transmission system, building their first line from Texas to St. Louis. During this time he also built his retirement home at Lake Anna, Va., where he was able to fully express his long-standing love affairs with fishing, hydroponics and gardening, especially the cultivation of rare roses, fruit trees, corn, unusual vegetables and wonderful stories. Old injuries forced him to move to The Fairfax, a retirement community near Fort Belvoir, Va. A desire to be closer to his children caused he and his wife to move to Atlantic Shores retirement community in Virginia Beach. There, he was affectionately known as “The General” and received much love and care during his final weeks at their Seaside Health Center.

He survived by five children, Thomas Shtogren of Sierra Vista, Arizona, Carol Van Valkenburg of Danville, Virginia., Peter Shtogren of Linewood, Washington, Maureen McGrath of Virginia Beach and Margi Moore of Jacksonville, North Carolina, his sister-in-law, Margaret Shtogren of Two Rivers, Wisconsin; cousins, Emil Scholar, Elaine, Paul and John Sudanowicz and Diane Dynan, all of Boston, Massachusetts; and his best friend and adopted daughter, Nicky Dozier of Norfolk. He also rejoiced in his 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

The family wishes to thank the physicians and staff of Virginia Oncology Associates, especially Dr. Robert Burger, and the wonderful staff of Atlantic Shores and Seaside Health Center for the tender care they gave The General in his six years in Virginia Beach, and especially during his last days.

Internment was at Arlington Cemetery on April 7, 2003 at 11 a.m. Donations may be sent to Covenant House, P.O. Box JAF 2973, New York, NY 10116-2973 or to your local rescue squad. — obituary from various sources.

atshtofren

Read our general and most popular articles

Leave a Comment