MG John G. Zierdt
MG John G. Zierdt was born in Ashley, Pennsylvania, on 17 February 1913. After attending Trinity College for 1 year, he entered the U.S. Army Military Academy at West Point. After graduating from West Point in June 1937, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Infantry. He also did postgraduate work in 1947 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Military education completed by General Zierdt included the Air Corps Primary Flight School in 1938; the Aviation Ordnance Schools at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and Langley Field, Virginia, in 1940; the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in 1946; and the U.S. Army War College in 1956.
From 1937 to 1940, General Zierdt not only attended the three flight schools mentioned above, he also served as the Unit Commander of the 25th Infantry at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and as the Assistant District Recruiting Officer at Fort Bliss, Texas. During World War II, he served as an Ordnance Staff Officer both in Panama and in the European Theater. In 1945, he became the Executive Officer of Headquarters, U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey. He later commanded Milan Arsenal, in Milan, Tennessee, 1947; served as Executive Officer of the Field Directorate of Ammunition Plants and the Ordnance Ammunition Center at Joliet, Illinois, 1950-1953; and was Chief of the Ammunition Branch, Industrial Division, Office, Chief of Ordnance, 1953-1955.
From March 1956 until June 1962, General Zierdt had an unbroken tour of 6 years in assignments of increasing responsibility at Redstone Arsenal. His first assignment was as Chief of the Control Office, Army Ballistic Missile Agency. In March 1958, he became Chief of Staff when the Army Ordnance Missile Command (AOMC) was activated. In January 1960, he was named Deputy Commander of the Army Rocket and Guided Missile Agency (ARGMA). General Zierdt became Commander of that agency in June of that year. When ARGMA was abolished in a reorganization of AOMC late in 1961, he was appointed Deputy Commanding General (Guided Missiles) of AOMC, the predecessor organization of the U.S. Army Missile Command (MICOM). General Zierdt became Commanding General of MICOM on 23 September 1963 and served in that capacity until 30 June 1967.
General Zierdt was awarded a number of decorations and medals. His awards included the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Army Occupation Medal (Germany), and both the American and National Defense Service Medals. In 1981, General Zierdt was inducted into the U.S. Army Ordnance Hall of Fame. He died on 30 June 2000.