Gurney, Augustus Milton “Gus”, born 18-02-1895, in Oneonta, New York, 
as the son of Louis C. Gurney and Florence M, born Moody. 
Augustus completed Stanton Preparatory Academy in Highland Falls, New York, 
and entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, 
in June 1913. He was a member of the Class 1917, which produced more than 55 future General officers including two Army Chiefs of Staff, Joseph Lawton Collins 
and Matthew Bunker Ridgway.
Gurney graduated with Bachelor of Science degree on 20-04-1917, shortly following the United States entry into World War I, and was commissioned second lieutenant in the Field Artillery Branch. He embarked for France as a member of 1st Field Artillery Brigade 
and served consecutively as Battery commander and as a balloon observer during Meuse–Argonne offensive.
Following a tour of occupation duty in the Rhineland, Gurney returned to the United States in mid-1919 and assumed duty as an instructor of mathematics at the United States Military Academy. He remained four years in this capacity and entered the instruction at Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, 
in June 1923. Gurney graduated one year later and was ordered to the Army Signal School at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.
In May 1925, Gurney entered the Yale University and graduated two years later with Master of Science degree. His schooling continued with two-years course at the Army Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and one-year instruction at Army War College in Washington, D.C., and later assumed duty as an instructor at the Army Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth. 
Gurney was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 01-06-1940, and joined the headquarters, II Corps under Major General Henry Conger Pratt 
and served as Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence until August 1941, when he was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations with II Corps. While in this capacity, Gurney was promoted to colonel on 11-12-1941, just four days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. 
Augustas promoted to the temporary rank of Brigadier General on 16-04-1942, and ordered to Camp Pickett, Virginia, where he joined the headquarters of 79th Infantry Division 
under Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. 
Gurney assumed duty as Artillery Commander of the division and participated in the Tennessee Maneuvers, after which it moved to Camp Laguna near Yuma, Arizona, where it trained in the desert. It was then ordered to Camp Phillips, Kansas 
for training in winter conditions, but before 79th Division deployed to the European Theater of Operations, Gurney was declared unfit for overseas duty and succeeded by his West Point Classmate, George Douglas Wahl 
in February 1944. The 79th Division started their war in Normandy and their casualities during the Eurpean campaign: Total battle casualties: 15,203, Killed in action: 2,476, Wounded in action: 10,971, Missing in action: 579 and Prisoner of war: 1,186.
Gurney was then attached to the headquarters, Second United States Army under Lieutenant General Lloyd Ralstone Fredendall 
in Memphis, Tennessee, and served in this capacity until June 1944, when he was appointed chief of staff under Fredendall. He was co-responsible for the training of replacements for the units going overseas and received the Legion of Merit 
for his service.
Gurney remained in the Army following the War and assumed duty as Commanding General, Camp Earle, Alaska in October 1945. He remained in this capacity until January 1946, when he assumed command of Adak Army Base, Alaska. Gurney was reverted to the peacetime rank of colonel on 30-04-1946, and remained in Adak until the end of March 1947.
He was subsequently ordered to Washington, D.C., and attached to Plans Section, Office of the Chief of Army Field Forces under General Jacob Loucks “Jamie”. Devers. 
Gurney was attached to the headquarters, First United States Army in New York City and served as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operation (G-3) consecutively under Lieutenant General Willis Dale “Crit” Crittenberger 
and Withers Alexander “Pinky” Burress. 
Death and burial ground of Gurney, Augustus Milton “Gus”.
Gurney retired with his wartime rank of Brigadier General in early 1954 for physical disability and settled in his native Oneonta, where he was active in civic duties. He later moved to Southern Pines, North Carolina, where he lived until his death. Brigadier General Augustus Milton “Gus” Gurney died on 10-04-1967, age 72, at Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and was buried at Glenwood Cemetery in Oneonta.
“Gus” Gurny was married in 1919 to Dora Bonbright of New York City, who died in 1944. Their two daughters, Margaret (Peg) Gurney and Louise Gurney Ferrell survive him. In 1946 he married Gladys Kirton of Aynor, South Carolina, who survives him at Southern Pines, North Carolina.
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