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Henry Barthold Stelling Jr. (July 9, 1924 – September 20, 2021) was a United States Army major general who served as Vice Commander of the Electronic Systems Division, Air Force Systems Command from 1978 to 1980. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1948. Stelling died in Costa Mesa, California on September 20, 2021 at the age of 97.

Early life and education
Stelling was born in South San Francisco, California on July 9, 1924 to Henry Barthold Stelling and Ruth Young Stelling. He graduated from Balboa High School in January 1942 and continued his education at the School of Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. In June 1944, Stelling entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York and graduated in June 1948 with a bachelor of science degree in engineering. Later in his career, he earned a master of science degree in international affairs from The George Washington University. In addition, Stelling graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College and the National War College.

Military career
While attending college at Berkeley, Stelling joined the Army Enlisted Reserve Corps. In June 1943, he was called to active duty and attended basic training at the Armored Force School, located at the time in Fort Knox, Kentucky, then received a congressional appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Stelling graduated from USMA in June 1948 with a bachelor of science degree in engineering and a second lieutenant’s commission in the United States Air Force.

Special weapons
Stelling received additional training at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas followed by Nuclear Weapons School at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi. In 1949, Stelling was assigned to the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project at Sandia Base, New Mexico, where he worked as an electronics supervisor in the first Air Force atomic weapon assembly organization. He was also tasked as a technical writer and operations staff officer at Headquarters Field Command.

In January 1953, Stelling moved to Langley, Virginia, where he was assigned to the Directorate of Special Weapons at the headquarters for Tactical Air Command. His organizational abilities were recognized by his superiors with a commendation for his work that simplified support for atomic weapons across entire theaters of operations.

Strategic Air Command
Stelling's next assignment was bombardier/navigator in the Boeing B-47 Stratojet bomber. In June 1954, Stelling attended navigation training at Ellington Air Force Base in Texas followed by bombardier training at Mather Air Force Base, California. After graduation in November 1955, he received orders to the 384th bombardment wing—a Strategic Air Command (SAC) unit located at Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas. Stelling served six years with the 384th and was a member of the flight crew that in November 1957 won SAC's annual bombing and navigation competition. For his actions during this event, Stelling was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He considered winning this contest one of his most significant accomplishments.

Space systems
After graduating from the Armed Forces Staff College in 1962, Stelling's career changed from aircraft to spacecraft with roles in development and acquisition for the USAF's Special Project Office located at the Space Systems Division (SSD) in Los Angeles, California. After completing studies in engineering management, he returned to SSD which had been renamed the Space and Missile Systems Organization (SAMSO). From 1962 to 1972, Stelling served in increasingly responsible roles including Atlas/Agena launch vehicle project officer, mission payload project officer, chief of an engineering division responsible for developing two large space systems, program director of a large space system, and deputy for five space programs including two large automatic data processing facilities.

Some of the programs on which Stelling worked, including launch operations for National Reconnaissance Office payloads, were highly classified at the time, but some aspects have been declassified over the years. As a representative of the Secretary of the Air Force Special Projects (SAF/SP) office, he attended the Land Panel meeting on June 11, 1971. Chaired by Dr. Edwin H. Land, co-founder of the Polaroid Corporation, this panel reviewed requirements and technical issues with the KH-7 Gambit photographic reconnaissance satellite.

In September 1972, Colonel Stelling was assigned as the Director of Space in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development. Stelling was a proponent of space defense and sought to transition existing satellite reconnaissance and survivability programs beyond the research phase with the creation of a System Program Office (SPO) dedicated to coordinating and managing them. The Air Force rejected this proposal, but by 1976, the objection was overruled by the president of the United States, and the Space Defense SPO was finally established.

Space Shuttle
During the development of the NASA Space Shuttle, Stelling helped represent the interests of the Department of Defense. The shuttle was approved in January 1972 with key design choices and selection of major contractors completed by August. During a March 1973 presentation before the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Manned Space Flight, Stelling described capabilities that could reduce costs for both the military and NASA. Two promising programs that he discussed at this meeting, the shuttle facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base and a NASA space tug, would not survive the Challenger accident and budget cuts that followed.


 * approved in January 1972.
 * major design and contractor decisions for the space shuttle were completed by August 1972.
 * Stelling represented the Department of Defense during the development of the NASA Space Shuttle
 * On March 13, 1973, Colonel Stelling spoke before the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Manned Space Flight. He discussed opportunites that could benefit all users of the Shuttle.
 * On July 21, 1975, Stelling attended a meeting at the White House where he represented the DOD as one of the potential users of the Space Shuttle.
 * DOD was to design and develop the upper stage of the shuttle to be used by all the users. We are concerned that DOD meet the requirements of all the users of the upper stage.

Global Positioning System

 * Approved by US in 1973.
 * Stelling also supported the Global Positioning System.
 * Stelling obtained DoD acquisition approval and congressional funding for the Global Positioning System (GPS).
 * Colonel Brad Parkinson, GPS program manager, gave General Stelling credit for coining the name “Global Positioning System” to recognize the many ways GPS technology could be applied beyond navigation.
 * At some point I worked with a one-star general by the name of Hank Stehling, who was the Director of Space in the Pentagon, and I needed his support. I was in his office one day and he said, “Brad, you know I’ve been thinking about this system that you’re advocating. I think it’s more than navigation. I think it’s positioning, and I think it’s around the whole world, and I think we should call it the Global Positioning System.” Being a good marketing person at the time, I said, “Excellent idea,” and that was done.
 * Fortunately, there were some key supporters of GPS who overcame that resistance. They were affectionately called the GPS Mafia. ... Other members of the GPS Mafia were Lt. Col. Paul Martin (the original GPS Program Element Monitor), Brig. Gen. Hank Stelling (RDS in Pentagon), and Cols. Brent Brentnall and Emmitt DeAvies (DDR&E representatives).

More Space Stuff
 * Colonel Stelling (Director of Space Headquarters, USAF, Washington, D.C.) was the Military Space Activities session chairman for the 1973 (10th) Technology Today and Tomorrow of The Space Congress Conference.


 * Stelling was promoted to brigadier general in 1973.


 * I was the head of the Air Staff Directorate of Space (RDS) from 1972 to 1976. AF Magazine


 * In September 1976, he was assigned as Vice Commander of the Electronic Systems Division, Air Force Systems Command, with headquarters at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.


 * According to former deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Doctor F. Robert "Bob" Naka, Stelling filled one of the NRO senior positions.


 * On April 14, 1977, he was presented the Distinguished Service Medal by Lieutenant General Wilbur L. Creech.


 * On March 3, 1980, Brigadier General C. Truman Spangrud relieved Stelling as Vice Commander of ESD.


 * Retired on May 1,1980.

Civilian career

 * Vice President Requirements Analyses and Program, Rockwell International Corporation, Anaheim, CA.
 * Corporate VP Security, Rockwell International, Apr 1980 - Mar 199111 years, Inglewood, CA.(Linkedin)
 * Participated in Arms Control in Space workshop on January 30-31, 1984.

Later years

 * The declassification of Gambit and Hexagon was publicly announced on September 17, 2011.


 * Gambit was operational from 1963 to 1984.




 * In June 2011, the Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (DNRO), Bruce Carlson, officially declassified the programs. Three months later, he hosted a public announcement and display of select program artifacts on 17 September at the Udvar-Hazy Annex of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. With this event, the Gambit and Hexagon stories began to be told publicly.


 * Members of the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Special Projects Alumni Association participate in a legacy panel here, Dec. 3, 2012. The SAFSP Legacy Panel provides a medium through which senior experts from SAFSP, NRO, and other organizations share their knowledge. In the past, the panel has focused on topics such as the recently declassified Corona program. This year, the panel focused on the SAFSP organization.
 * Colonel Frank S. Buzard (U.S. Air Force) of the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Special Projects (SAFSP or NRO Program A). Worked Hexagon.

Organizations

 * Beta Gamma Sigma, business administration fraternity.
 * Served on board of directors of the Secretary of the Air Force Special Projects (SAFSP) Alumni Association.
 * USMA Association of Graduates 1948 class historian.

Personal life
Stelling was married to Lucille Celesta (Treat) of Fresno, California. They had four children (Henry B. III, Sandra, Mark, and Sharon). After 67 years of marriage, his wife died at their home in Irvine, California on September 14, 2016. Stelling died in Costa Mesa, California on September 20, 2021. He was cremated and interred with his wife at Riverside National Cemetery in California on October 25, 2021.

Awards and decorations

 * Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award ribbon.