MG George E. Turnmeyer
MG George E. Turnmeyer was born on 12 July 1925 in Dubuque, Iowa. He received a bachelor's degree in military science from the University of Maryland in 1954 and a master's in industrial management from Babson College in 1957. He was also a graduate of several military schools, including the Ordnance Officers Advanced School in 1956; the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; the Armed Forces Staff College in 1966; and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1967.
General Turnmeyer entered the Army as a private in April 1944 and received his commission in November 1945. Designated as a Logistician by the Department of the Army, he spent much of his career in that military specialty. Following early commissioned service at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland (as a student and later as a platoon leader), and further schooling at Rock Island Arsenal, General Turnmeyer served 2 years in the Philippines in ordnance assignments.
In 1950, General Turnmeyer returned to the United States where he served 16 months at Benecia Arsenal, California. He then returned to Aberdeen Proving Ground for further ordnance education, followed by 3 years there as a test officer in charge of testing and evaluating towed and self-propelled artillery. After completing the Ordnance Officers Advanced School in 1956 and his master's degree in 1957, General Turnmeyer served in France for more than 3 years as Comptroller for the U.S. Army Ordnance Supply Control Agency. Other assignments in his early career included the Office, Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics, Washington, D.C.; Battalion Commander, 7th Infantry Division, Korea; and staff logistics specialist involved in Southeast Asia planning in the Operations Division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Just prior to duty at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, General Turnmeyer served 3 years in Germany as Commander of the U.S. Army Materiel Command, Europe. On 2 April 1973, he was assigned to Redstone as LANCE Project Manager, U.S. Army Missile Command (MICOM). He subsequently became Deputy Commander of MICOM on 1 August 1974 and Commander on 1 October 1975. General Turnmeyer continued as MICOM Commander until 31 January 1977 when MICOM was abolished and its missions and people were divided between the newly established Army Missile Materiel Readiness Command (MIRCOM) and the Army Missile Research and Development Command. On 31 January 1977, he became the first Commander of MIRCOM and remained in that post until 30 September 1977.
General Turnmeyer's awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf Clusters). General Turnmeyer was inducted into the Army Ordnance Hall of Fame in 1990.