Stanley R. Mickelsen
Encyclopedia
Stanley Raymond Mickelsen (1895 - 1966) was an American military
leader. Born in Minnesota
, and a graduate of the University of Minnesota
, Mickelsen joined the Army in 1917.
As a young officer Mickelsen commanded coastal artillery
units, including the 74th Coast Artillery Regiment and the 47th Artillery Brigade. During World War II, he served on the War Department General Staff, but later commanded an antiaircraft brigade. In 1943, he was assigned as Commandant of the Anti-Aircraft Artillery
Training Center at Fort Bliss
, Texas. From 1952 to 1957 he was commanding general of the U.S. Army Air Defense Command
. He retired in 1957 with the rank of Lieutenant General
.
During his career the Army moved from air defense based on guns
to advanced anti-aircraft missiles
and anti-ballistic missile
systems. The Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard
Complex was named in his honor.
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
leader. Born in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, and a graduate of the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, Mickelsen joined the Army in 1917.
As a young officer Mickelsen commanded coastal artillery
Coastal artillery
Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications....
units, including the 74th Coast Artillery Regiment and the 47th Artillery Brigade. During World War II, he served on the War Department General Staff, but later commanded an antiaircraft brigade. In 1943, he was assigned as Commandant of the Anti-Aircraft Artillery
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
Training Center at 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. From 1952 to 1957 he was commanding general of the U.S. Army Air Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command is a joint organization of Canada and the United States that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and defense for the two countries. Headquarters NORAD is located at Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado...
. He retired in 1957 with the rank of Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
.
During his career the Army moved from air defense based on guns
88 mm gun
The 88 mm gun was a German anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery gun from World War II. It was widely used by Germany throughout the war, and was one of the most recognizable German weapons of the war...
to advanced anti-aircraft missiles
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
and anti-ballistic missile
Anti-ballistic missile
An anti-ballistic missile is a missile designed to counter ballistic missiles .A ballistic missile is used to deliver nuclear, chemical, biological or conventional warheads in a ballistic flight trajectory. The term "anti-ballistic missile" describes any antimissile system designed to counter...
systems. The Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard
Safeguard Program
The Safeguard Program was a United States Army anti-ballistic missile system developed during the late 1960s. Safeguard was designed to protect U.S. ICBM missile sites from counterforce attack, thus preserving the option of an unimpeded retaliatory strike. Safeguard used much of the same technology...
Complex was named in his honor.