Abraham Robert Ginsburgh was born on May 30, 1895, in Warsaw, Poland, the son of David and Anne (Ellion). He was brought to the United States in 1904; A.B., magna cum laude, Harvard University, 1917, Ll. B., 1936; M.A. in history, University of Louisville, 1922; M.A. in journalism, University of Missouri, 1931; graduated from the Field Artillery School in 1922, Army Industrial College in 1938; Army and Navy Staff College in 1943. He married Elsie Bullitt Pinney on December 29, 1922. He had three children, Robert, a captain in the United States Army, and Anne and Martha (twins).
He was commissioned a second lieutenant, Regular Army in 1917. He served as public relations officer for Secretary of War Patrick J. Hurley from 1931 to 1933. He was admitted to D.C. bar in 1936. He was press relations officer for Assistant Secretary of War Johnson and Under Secretary of War Patterson from 1937 to 1942; director public relations and information, Services of Supply, War Department in 1942; Chief Army Industrial Services from 1942 to 1943. He served in the Pacific from 1943 to 1945, and in the Army of Occupation of Japan, from 1945-1946. General Ginsburgh became executive assistant to the Secretary of War in 1946-1947.
General Ginsburgh transferred to the U.S. Air Force on May 20, 1948, serving successively as special assistant to the Director of Public Relations, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force; deputy to the Director of Public Relations, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, and assistant to the Director of Public Relations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. He then served as special assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense until retiring from the Air Force on July 31, 1953.
After retiring from the Air Force, General Ginsburgh later worked as an associate editor of the U.S. News and World Report.
General Ginsburgh was among 15 men killed in the crash of a KC-135A aircraft on June 27, 1958, near Westover AFB, Massachusetts. He was one of six journalists aboard the tanker documenting the crew’s attempt to break a transatlantic flight record. The aircraft crashed after striking power lines shortly after taking off from Westover AFB.
He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Delta Sigma Rho.
PROMOTIONS
He was promoted to Second Lieutenant, Coast Artillery, on October 26, 1917; to First Lieutenant (temporary) on October 26, 1917; to Captain, Coast Artillery Corps, on October 19, 1918, to June 30, 1920; transferred to Field Artillery on July 1, 1920; to Captain on June 23, 1921; discharged as a Captain and appointed First Lieutenant on November 19, 1922; to Captain on January 22, 1928; Judge Advocate General’s Department (JAGD) on September 1, 1933; Major on July 1, 1937; transferred to JAGD on August 10, 1937; to Lieutenant Colonel on October 26, 1940; transferred to Field Artillery on May 6, 1941; to Colonel (temporary) on February 1, 1942; to Colonel (permanent) on March 11, 1948; transferred to the U.S. Air Force on May 20, 1948; to Brigadier General (temporary) on December 21, 1948, with date of rank of December 13, 1948.
DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three Bronze Stars, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation of Japan Medal, Philippine Distinguished Service Star, Philippine Liberation Medal with two Bronze Stars, Department of Defense Identification Device.