One of the Air Force space and missile Pioneers, retired Col. Albert J. “Red” Wetzel, 91, passed away Dec. 26, 2009. His burial at Arlington National Cemetery is scheduled for Feb. 1.
Air Force Space Command inducted Colonel Wetzel to its Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2003 for his contributions to the Air Force space and missile program.
Colonel Wetzel served as chief project engineer for Matador, the Air Force’s first ground-launched cruise missile, during 1947-1948. After earning a master’s degree in aeronautical and astronomical engineering, the New Orleans native became the executive officer to President Harry Truman’s guided missile advisor in 1952. He later served as the Air Force executive to Assistant Secretary of Defense for Applications Engineering from 1953-1955.
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