Major General Abraham J. Dreiseszun is commander, Air Force Contract Management Division for the Air Force Systems Command, with headquarters at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. The Air Force Contract Management Division is the primary Air Force agency performing contract management functions at those contractor plants assigned to the Air Force by the Department of Defense for plant cognizance.
General Dreiseszun was born in Kansas City, Mo., in 1920. He entered military service in July 1940 and through the aviation cadet program earned his navigator wings and was commissioned a second lieutenant in April 1942. He is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College, 1957, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, 1963. He received a master of arts degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, 1965.
During World War II, he was assigned as a navigator on B-17 aircraft with the 97th Bombardment Group at Sarasota, Fla., and went with the group to the European Theater of Operations and completed 50 combat missions in Europe and North Africa. He participated in the first all-American daylight bombing raid over occupied Europe. In July 1943 he was assigned as a navigator instructor for the 87th Navigator Training Group, at Hondo, Texas. From July 1944 until November 1944, General Dreiseszun was assigned as Assistant Director of Academic Training for the Army Air Forces Navigation School at Selman Field, La., and in December 1944 was assigned in the same position for the Navigation School at Ellington Field, Texas. He was released from active military duty in November 1945.
General Dreiseszun was recalled to extended active duty in March 1947, during a national emergency, and was assigned as a navigator for the 340th Bombardment Squadron, 97th Bombardment Wing, of the Strategic Air Command, flying B-29s at Smoky Hill Field, Kan. He was again released from active duty in December 1947.
During the Korean War, he was again recalled to active duty in April 1951 and was sent to Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, Strategic Air Command, where he was assigned as Procurement Officer for the 19th Air Division and from December 1952 until September 1953 was assistant director of materiel and later director of materiel for the 19th Air Division which flew B-36 aircraft.
He was transferred to Germany in September 1953 and became chief, Policy and Procurement Division, Headquarters Air Materiel Force, Europe, and in September 1955 was assigned as deputy for procurement, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe where he was involved in building air bases in support of NATO. In August 1956 he entered the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
In February 1957 he was assigned as chief, Financial and Readjustment Branch, Procurement Policy Division, Directorate of Production and Procurement, Deputy Chief of Staff, Materiel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., and held several other key positions until July 1962. He then attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C.
In July 1963 he became director of procurement and production at San Bernardino Air Materiel Area, Norton Air Force Base, Calif.; became deputy commander in July 1965; and in February 1966 was made commander. He went to Oklahoma City Air Materiel Area, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., in July 1966 as director of procurement and production and became director of materiel management in October 1967.
In January 1968 he was appointed deputy chief of staff, procurement and production, at Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. General Dreiseszun assumed command of the Defense Personnel Support Center in Philadelphia on July 6, 1972. The center is the largest field activity in the Defense Supply Agency and has the mission of providing food, clothing and medical materiel to the Armed Forces worldwide.
He became commander of the Air Force Contract Management Division, Air Force Systems Command, at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., in September 1974.
His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster; Legion of Merit; Distinguished Flying Cross; Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters; Air Force Commendation Medal; and Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.
He was promoted to the grade of major general effective Aug. 1, 1971, with date of rank July 1, 1967.
(Current as of Jan. 15, 1975)