Rodney Loehr

Loehr, Rodney Clement Former historian of the U.S. Joint Chief's of Staff, Army Major and University of Minnesota ROTC Chairman, and University of Minnesota professor, died October 15, 2005 at the age of 97. Loehr was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota on November 16, 1907. At the age of 14-1/2, Loehr misled others about his age and enlisted in HQ Battery, 151st Field Artillery, Minnesota National Guard, and served for seven years. Loehr attended the University of Minnesota and received his B.A., Magna Cum Laude in 1930, his M.A. in 1931, and his PhD. in 1938, all in history. Prior to receiving his doctorate, he served as a teaching assistant to Theodore Blegen in the History Department at the University of Minnesota. Upon completion of his doctorate, Loehr taught first as an instructor and later as a full professor for the University of Minnesota from 1938 through 1975. Loehr married Nancy Scammon, a librarian, in 1936. In 1942, Loehr re-enlisted into the Army, graduated from Officers' Candidate School in 1943 and was assigned to the U.S. Join Chiefs of Staff as their historian. Loehr organized the historical section of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and served as historian for the balance of World War II. After the war, Loehr went to Europe in what was then call "special forces," the successor to OSS and the predecessor to the CIA. From 1951 to 1953, he was stationed in Germany as special historian, Office of the High Commissioner for Germany. During the post-war restructuring, Loehr helped establish the German banking system and proposed the 37th Parallel as a dividing line between North and South Korea, modeled after our 49th Parallel boundary with Canada, since there was no natural boundary in Korea. From May 1948 to October 1960 Loehr served in the U.S. Army Reserve as commanding officer of the 483rd Strategic Intelligence Detachment. He retired with the rank of major and was chairman of the University of Minnesota ROTC Committee and was a lecturer to Army, Navy, and Air Force cadets and midshipmen. Loehr resumed teaching history, particularly military history, at the University of Minnesota until his retirement in 1975. Loehr served as the founding director of the Forest Products History Foundation, known as the Forest History Society, from 1946 to 1950, during its first critical years as a project of the Minnesota Historical Society. He was also a member of the American Historical Association, the Agricultural History Society, The Twin Cities Civil War Roundtable, and an Honorary Council member with the Minnesota Historical Society. Loehr authored numerous papers and presentations regarding agricultural history, Civil War and World War II military history, economic history, and forest history. Loehr wrote book reviews on various topics for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and hosted the television program, "Trails West" on KTCA during the 1960's. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, Oct. 21 at Friendship Village, 8100 Highwood Drive, Bloomington, MN. Memorials to the Rodney & Nancy Loehr Fund, St. Paul Foundation. Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel 952-920-3996

Tributes

Rodney Loehr

October 18, 2005

Tributes

Rodney Loehr

October 18, 2005

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