Dieter Grau
Encyclopedia
Dieter Grau is a retired rocket scientist and member of the "von Braun
rocket group", at Peenemünde
(1939–1945) working on the V-2 rockets in World War II
. He was among the scientists to surrender and travel to the United States to provide rocketry expertise via Operation Paperclip
which took them first to Fort Bliss
, Texas
(1945–1949). He continued his work with the team when they moved to Redstone Arsenal
, and he joined Marshall Space Flight Center
to work for NASA
. Grau served as the director of quality in all of those positions, including for the Saturn V
rocket which took man to the moon.
One of those engineers was Dieter Grau, now 97, who worked in quality control at White Sands. He arrived in 1946 and his wife in 1947. His son was born in Texas in 1949 before the family moved to Huntsville in 1950.
"We were brought over by the Army," Grau said, adding that von Braun worked closely with then Col. Holger Toftoy to develop the kind of team he wanted in the U.S.
While von Braun and his team waited at Fort Bliss, Grau and other German engineers stayed relatively busy at White Sands, where they assembled V-2 rockets from parts shipped with them from Germany, and then launched them in demonstrations for U.S. scientists. A total of 67 V-2s were launched at White Sands.
"One of my main jobs at that time was to get information to the scientists and see what kind of projects they would like to have and then, of course, we had to accommodate them," Grau recalled. "Even though we were busy, we were more used to much overtime. But that was not the case (at White Sands). There we had a normal workday."
Things changed with their arrival in Huntsville. In many ways the Germans felt like they were coming home. Gone were the dry, desert conditions of Fort Bliss and White Sands, replaced with a green, mountainous agricultural area reminiscent of Germany.
"Coming to Huntsville was our coming back to the green country," Grau said. "We were used to green country and out there at Fort Bliss and White Sands there was just desert. We liked this so much better. This was more the landscape we were used to. For us, it was kind of a relief to come to the green country."
"The new[ Redstone] rocket had to go somewhat further. It had to be bigger and it had to be made with American parts," Grau said. "Industry came in and worked with us to build and develop new stuff. The engine had to be redesigned. It had to be bigger. At that time, industry came really onboard."
Grau, along with von Braun's team, moved from the Army to NASA to develop the first rockets designed expressly for exploration.
"We had wonderful experiences going into space. We had wonderful cooperation to accomplish something never done before," Grau said. "See how well it all worked out? We had no idea how things would work out. We took a tremendous risk to come here. We never thought we would be able to stay so long. I have real good fortune that I have had a fulfilled life and I remember so much."
Wernher von Braun
Wernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and in the United States after that.A former member of the Nazi party,...
rocket group", at Peenemünde
Peenemünde
The Peenemünde Army Research Center was founded in 1937 as one of five military proving grounds under the Army Weapons Office ....
(1939–1945) working on the V-2 rockets in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was among the scientists to surrender and travel to the United States to provide rocketry expertise via Operation Paperclip
Operation Paperclip
Operation Paperclip was the Office of Strategic Services program used to recruit the scientists of Nazi Germany for employment by the United States in the aftermath of World War II...
which took them first to Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(1945–1949). He continued his work with the team when they moved to Redstone Arsenal
Redstone Arsenal
Redstone Arsenal is a United States Army base and a census-designated place adjacent to Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, United States and is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area...
, and he joined Marshall Space Flight Center
Marshall Space Flight Center
The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center is the U.S. government's civilian rocketry and spacecraft propulsion research center. The largest center of NASA, MSFC's first mission was developing the Saturn launch vehicles for the Apollo moon program...
to work for NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
. Grau served as the director of quality in all of those positions, including for the Saturn V
Saturn V
The Saturn V was an American human-rated expendable rocket used by NASA's Apollo and Skylab programs from 1967 until 1973. A multistage liquid-fueled launch vehicle, NASA launched 13 Saturn Vs from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida with no loss of crew or payload...
rocket which took man to the moon.
One of those engineers was Dieter Grau, now 97, who worked in quality control at White Sands. He arrived in 1946 and his wife in 1947. His son was born in Texas in 1949 before the family moved to Huntsville in 1950.
"We were brought over by the Army," Grau said, adding that von Braun worked closely with then Col. Holger Toftoy to develop the kind of team he wanted in the U.S.
While von Braun and his team waited at Fort Bliss, Grau and other German engineers stayed relatively busy at White Sands, where they assembled V-2 rockets from parts shipped with them from Germany, and then launched them in demonstrations for U.S. scientists. A total of 67 V-2s were launched at White Sands.
"One of my main jobs at that time was to get information to the scientists and see what kind of projects they would like to have and then, of course, we had to accommodate them," Grau recalled. "Even though we were busy, we were more used to much overtime. But that was not the case (at White Sands). There we had a normal workday."
"Coming to Huntsville was our coming back to the green country," Grau said. "We were used to green country and out there at Fort Bliss and White Sands there was just desert. We liked this so much better. This was more the landscape we were used to. For us, it was kind of a relief to come to the green country."
"The new
Grau, along with von Braun's team, moved from the Army to NASA to develop the first rockets designed expressly for exploration.
"We had wonderful experiences going into space. We had wonderful cooperation to accomplish something never done before," Grau said. "See how well it all worked out? We had no idea how things would work out. We took a tremendous risk to come here. We never thought we would be able to stay so long. I have real good fortune that I have had a fulfilled life and I remember so much."