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Lt. Gen. Frank A. Camm

Frank Ambler Camm (13 March 1922 in Camp Knox - 17 January 2012 at Fort Belvoir) was a United States Army Lieutenant General.

Early life[]

Frank was born at Camp Knox, Kentucky on March 13, 1922, to Lieutenant Frank and Felicia T. Camm. His father was an artilleryman in the U.S. Army. He also had two brothers (William and John) and a sister (Felicia). He enjoyed riding horses at Fort Bragg, surfing in Hawaii, and visiting his family's farm which was nicknamed "St. Moor".

Military service[]

Images

Official 1943 West Point Graduation Photo

Frank was appointed to attended the United States Military Academy by the 7th District of Virginia on July 1, 1939. He graduated sixteenth in his class on January 18, 1943, and was commissioned in the United States Army Corps of Engineers (ASN: 0–25448). During World War II, he served with the 78th Infantry Division eventually commanding a battalion within one of the division's regiments and leading them during the occupation of Berlin, Germany from 1945 to 1946. He subsequently commanded two atom bomb units, two Engineer OCS battalions, the 2nd Infantry Division engineer battalion in the Korean War, the 521st Engineer Group in Germany, and the South Pacific Engineer Division.

Among 60 officers selected to take over the Manhattan Project from scientists, he led the prototype military atom bomb assembly team in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Later, he became the Army Staff's first nuclear planner, adjusted Seventh Army war plans to nuclear reality, and led tactical nuclear war planning as the only military director with the “Whiz Kids” who brought systems analysis to the Pentagon. As Director of Military Applications of the Atomic Energy Commission, he directed the Los Alamos, Sandia, and Livermore Nuclear Weapon Laboratories, the Nevada Test Site, and nine weapon production plants.

He installed the sensor-driven McNamara Line in Vietnam and later led Army Engineer adjustment to the “Environmental Revolution” in the Far West. He served as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and then Deputy Commander of Training and Doctrine Command, supervising 26 Army schools and training centers and Army ROTC. There, he fostered training with laser beams and war games simulating combat, and represented users in development of the Big Five Army systems.

In 1977, he became Deputy Director of Intelligence for Collection of national human, signal, and photo intelligence. In 1979, President Carter appointed him to FEMA, where he directed civil defense, continuity of government, the national stockpile, and civil mobilization.

Dates of rank[]

Post-military career[]

After retiring in 1981, Frank led pro bono efforts that yielded the “Constitution Corner,” the Class of January 1943's 50-year gift to West Point; the Herbert Hall Alumni Center at West Point; and The Fairfax military retirement community at Fort Belvoir, now home to 500 happy residents. He also designed and built engineer castle playhouses with his grandsons. In 1999, the District of Columbia West Point Society gave him its prestigious Castle Memorial Award. In 2005, the West Point Association of Graduates presented him its Distinguished Graduate Award.

Education[]

Frank earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy in 1943, a Master of Science degree from Harvard University in 1951, and a degree in international affairs from George Washington University. He graduated from the National War College in 1961 and from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in 1957.

Personal life[]

Frank married Arlene Brinkman and together they had two children (Frank Jr. and Arlene).

Death[]

Frank died on January 17, 2012, at Fort Belvoir in Virginia at the age of 89. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Awards and decorations[]

References[]

External links[]

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