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Officials unveil portrait of Air Force pioneer

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Monique Randolph
  • Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  Air Force officials unveiled a portrait of the late Gen. Bernard Schriever in a ceremony July 8 at the Pentagon.

General Schriever is often called the "father of the Air Force space and missile program" because of his advocacy of the need for space superiority and contributions to the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles.

General Schriever's widow Joni James, acting Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Duncan J. McNabb, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney McKinley were present for the unveiling of the portrait by artist Thomas Segars, an Air Force visual information specialist. Lori Dawson, also an Air Force visual information specialist, did the artwork and design for the portrait display.

"This is a momentous (time) for us because (Corridor 8) is the corridor of the great Air Force captains from Billy Mitchell to Hap Arnold, who was a tremendous friend of General Schriever," General McNabb said. "There's also Frank Andrews and now Benny Schriever.

"(General Schriever) brought us where we are today: preeminent in space. Our great missile force is our first line of deterrence, and General Schriever played a huge role in that. We have four great captains in this hall, and now General Schriever takes his rightful place with the unveiling of this portrait."

General McNabb also spoke about some of General Schriever's accomplishments during his 33-year career. As a brigadier general in 1954, he oversaw the development of the United States' first ballistic missiles and by the time he became a four-star general in 1961, he was in charge of all Air Force ballistic missiles and other aerospace projects.

His work at the Air Research and Development Command at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. -- which later became the Air Force Systems Command -- resulted in such ballistic missile systems as Thor, Atlas, Titan and Minuteman.

General Schriever's call for space superiority more than 50 years ago is still echoed by senior Air Force leaders today.

"In the long haul, our safety as a nation may depend upon our achieving 'space superiority,'" the general said in a speech given Feb. 19, 1957. "Several decades from now, the important battles may not be sea battles, but space battles, and we should be spending a certain fraction of our national resources to ensure that we do not lag in obtaining space supremacy."

Ms. James addressed the crowd as well. She and General Schriever were married almost seven years before his death on June 20, 2005.

She shared anecdotes about her husband with the audience of Airmen, passing on a message from her late husband as well.

"'We are the last of the true nobility,'" she told the group of his reference to men and women in the armed forces. "'I've been in the scientific community and the business community, but nowhere else do they raise their hand and say they'll die for their country.'

"That always stays in my mind," she said. "As I look upon all your faces, I realize that you are the true nobility. And don't you forget that, because he said so."

The portrait, a pencil drawing, will be a permanent fixture in the Pentagon next to a larger pictorial display highlighting General Schriever's career.