Mr. Julius Ziegler

Mr. Julius P. Ziegler was born in Butler County, Pennsylvania on January 25, 1915.

As Chief, Propellants and Explosives Division, Munitions Production Base Modernization Agency, Dover, New Jersey, he made many improvements in explosives, propellants, and engineering support during his 34 years of federal service.

The first of these was planning the original production plants for propellants, explosives, and chemicals, which supported the Armed Forces during World War II, and the Korean and Vietnamese Conflicts.

Between 1950 and 1955, he initiated the first mechanized roll powder line at Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant. He also established a mechanized powder plant and a production line for the first transistorized warhead used for the Nike-Hercules missile. In addition, he initiated and managed the first continuous nitroglycerin plant in the U.S. at Radford Army Ammunition Plant.

In the 1970’s, he found the technology to produce a major ingredient of multibased propellants, allowing the U.S. to become self-sufficient. Mr. Ziegler's other accomplishments include finding a safer way to produce military black powder which saved the government almost one million dollars.

He initiated an antipollution program, extending from wastewater treatment to disposal of toxic lead azide. Where possible, he included processes such as reusing heat energy and recapturing salable minerals in waste by-products. Mr. Ziegler died in 1982.