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Serving the Present... Remembering the Past...
Air Force Weather

 

 


Weather Badge

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. Gen. 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, Gen. 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, Gen. Thomas Power summoned Col. 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, Ariz., Carol Van Valkenburg of Danville, VA., Peter Shtogren of Linewood, Wash., Maureen McGrath of Virginia Beach and Margi Moore of Jacksonville, N.C., his sister-in-law, Margaret Shtogren of Two Rivers, Wis.; cousins, Emil Scholar, Elaine, Paul and John Sudanowicz and Diane Dynan, all of Boston, Mass; 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

 

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