Summary
Lieutenant General Howard W. Penney (December 5, 1918 – June 25, 2004) of United States Army, was first director of Defense Mapping Agency from July 1972 to August 1974. Under Penney's leadership, the new agency focused its assets into a decentralized structure with a lean staff to respond to the rising demands for geographic information by a variety of military users.
Howard W. Penney | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait of Lieutenant General Penney | |
| Born | December 5, 1918 |
| Died | June 25, 2004 (aged 85)[1] |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/ |  United States Army |
| Rank |  Lieutenant General |
| Awards |
|
Early life, and education edit
Lieutenant General Penney attended the University of Detroit, and graduated with a BS from the United States Military Academy in 1940. He earned an MS in civil engineering at Texas A&M University in June 1949. He completed the United States Army Command and General Staff College in June 1952, and the National War College in June 1959.[2]
Defense Mapping Agency edit
In response to President Nixon’s directive of July 1971, Lieutenant General Penney consolidated the Department of Defense's military mapping, charting and geodesy (MC&G) activities and created DMA. Under his leadership from July 1972 to August 1974, the new agency focused these assets into a decentralized structure with a very lean staff to respond to the high demands for geographic information by military users.[3]
Awards, and decorations edit
In 2001 Lt. Gen. Penney was inducted into the inaugural class of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Hall of Fame, where he is credited for "helping the military overcome doubts as to whether or not DMA could meet their needs."[3] His military decorations and awards include:[2]
- Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
- Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
- Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf Cluster
- Army Commendation Ribbon with oak leaf cluster
- Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- American Defense Service Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
- Army Occupation Medal (Japan)
- Philippine Liberation Ribbon
- National Defense Service Medal
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
- Republic of Vietnam Service Medal
- Vietnamese Service Medal
- General Staff Identification Badge
- Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe Badge
References edit
Citations
- ^ Howard W. Penney's obituary
- ^ a b "Historical Handbook of NGA Leaders" (PDF). Federation of American Scientists. Office of Corporate Communications.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b "Lt. Gen. Howard W. Penney". www.nga.mil. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
Sources
- United States Defense Mapping Agency (1982). MC&G: Mapping--Charting--Geodesy: a Brief History of U.S. Military Mapmaking, and the First Decade of the Defense Mapping Agency. Washington, D.C.: Defense Mapping Agency. OCLC 784684004.
