William S. Augerson ’47

William S. Augerson ’47 died January 18, 2015, in Millbrook, New York. 

(The following appeared electronically at hudsonvalleyfuneralhomes.com, January 2015.)

William Sinclair Augerson, M.D., a resident of Millbrook, NY, died on Sunday, January 18, 2015. Dr. Augerson was an honor graduate of Bowdoin College and received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College. He was certified in internal medicine after his residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

He served in the US Navy on sea duty toward the end of World War II and was present at the 1946 Bikini Nuclear Tests. After medical school he served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps for nearly 30 years. He was assigned to NASA at the beginning of the manned space program and played an important role in planning, research and operations for Project Mercury and Apollo. He was a master Army flight surgeon and received several civilian awards for his work with NASA.

Returning to Army duty he qualified as a parachutist and was the medical director of the 82nd Airborne Division during the Cuban Missile Crisis. During his career he served in a number of research, clinical and administrative assignments. In Vietnam he was medical director of the 23rd Infantry Division and commanded its medical battalion in combat, receiving the Silver Star. He later was Commanding General of the Army Medical Research and Development Command, and was a Major General and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense when he retired from the Army. He was greatly involved in developing defenses and treatments for chemical and biological casualties.

After retirement he was a Vice-President of Arthur D. Little, Inc., a research and consulting firm in Cambridge, MA. He continued research in chemical and biological defense as well as conducting research and consulting work in pharmaceuticals, health care, environmental and occupational health for U.S. government and international business clients.

Since his retirement from Arthur D. Little, he has worked as a consultant for a number of peer review organizations, research and consulting firms including the Rand Corporation.

Since moving to Millbrook in 1997 he has been a parishioner of Grace Episcopal Church, President of the Millbrook Rotary Club and served on the boards of a number of charitable, public organizations. Since 2001 he has served as a consultant on Bioterrorism for Dutchess County Health Department and since 2002 has been a member of the Dutchess County Board of Health.

He leaves behind his wife Virginia; his son Christopher of Bridgeport, CT; his daughter Elizabeth Raum of Rhinebeck, NY; and his granddaughter Heather Raum of Rhinebeck, NY.

 

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