Aurand, Henry, ” Spiece “, born 16-11-1894 in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania,
the only child of Peter Augustus Aurand, a conductor on the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, and his wife Annie née Speise. When he was eleven years old, the family moved from Tamaqua to Shamokin, Pennsylvania. He attended Shamokin Area High School, where he played violin in the school orchestra, captained the debating team, and edited the school literary magazine. His ambition was to go to Pennsylvania State College and become a civil engineer, but he sat the examination for the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York
and received a nomination as an alternative. When the principal candidate failed the physical examination, Aurand wrote to his United States Congressman, John Geiser McHenry,
declining the nomination. McHenry replied that he had already been declined twice, and would not take no for an answer. After a family discussion, it was decided that Aurand would go to West Point, serve the minimum four years, and then complete postgraduate engineer training at Pennsylvania State College.. Henry Aurand attended the United States Academy and was a member of the class of 1915, “the class the stars fell on” Omar Bradley,
Hubert Harmon,
Joseph McNarney,
Stafford Irwin and Henry B Saylor. During his military career he went on to attend the Army Ordnance School (1916), the Command and staff College (1928), the Army War college (1931), and the Army Industrial College (1940). During the first war he served at Sandy Hook Proving Ground, a military facility, established by the Secrteary of War on 07-08-1874, to serve as the United states Army’s first proving ground for the testing of ordnance and materiel, from 1917 to 1919. His nickname “ Spiece” he got being an intelligence officer who recruited and controlled spies in the 1930’s. Aurand served in a variety of positions prior to World War II. Leading up to the war he attended military schools and developed an expertise in logistics. As early as the mid 1930’s he began to use principles of logistics that are still in use today.
General Auran, here with Omar Nelson “Brad” Bradley, professional preparation paid off during World War II. He was tasked with a number of demanding high profile commands. In 1941 he was the Director of Defense Aid, the program that sent Lend Lease materials to the Allies. After that position he became the Chief of the International Division, Army Service Forces in 1942 and later that year he became the Secretary of the Combined Production Board. He finished 1942 as the Commanding General of the Sixth Service Command in Chicago, Illinois. In 1944, Aurand was assigned as the Assistant Chief Ordnance Officer, European Theater of Operations (ETOUSA)
and Communications Zone (ComZ). He then moved to become the Commanding General, Normandy Base Section, ComZ, ETOUSA later that same year. In 1945 he was the last Commanding General, United States Services of Supply, China Theater. Aurand also was instrumental in the acquisition of the 1/4 ton general purpose vehicle, the famous Jeep. Lieutenant General Aurand accomplishments during his career were diverse and wide ranging. The impact of some of his actions were fundamental to the success of the United States military during World War II and the Korean War.











Death and burial ground of Aurand, Henry, ” Spiece “.










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