The Descriptive Finding Guide for the Joseph Tschirgi Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10144
Debbie Seracini
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
12/05/2014
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Title: Joseph Mathew Tschirgi Personal Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10144
Physical Description:
0.35 Cubic Feet
One box
Date (inclusive): 1922-2006
Abstract: Joseph Mathew Tschirgi served in the Army Air Corps and was later was involved in the development of Rockets and Missiles.
The collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Some copyright may be reserved. Consult with the library director for more information.
[Item], [Filing Unit], [Series Title], [Subgroups], [Record Group Title and Number], [Repository “San Diego Air & Space Museum
Library & Archives”]
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The materials in this Collection were donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum.
Joseph Mathew Tschirgi was born April 24, 1922 to Harold Magnus Tschirgi and Blossom Bissel Tschirgi in Independence, Iowa.
He served in the Army Air Corps as a weather officer from March 1943 to March 1946, and attended the Alabama Polytechnic Institute
and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he received his M.S. in Engineering in June 1950. On July 12, 1952, he married
Francis Elizabeth Platt. Upon graduation from Ann Arbor, he entered his career as an Aerodynamicist with McDonnell Douglas,
and by December 1962, was Chief Engineer in the Aerospace Systems Engineering Department, Missile & Space Systems Division
where he directed all engineering activities on such projects as the Thor, Delta, and Genie Systems Engineering. From the
late 1960s to early 1970s, he was Dept. Head, Director, and Program Manager for various projects focused on launch vehicle
engineering and specialized spacecraft for post Apollo missions. Mr. Tschirgi died on June 7, 2006 in Escondido, CA.
The collection contains some personnel correspondence from McDonnell Douglas; résumé; paper titled, “A Rationale for Manned
Planetary Explorations; employee rosters; company newsletter clippings; desk nameplate; Space Systems Center Dedication Ceremony
brochure; and approximately 24 photographs.
Space Subject Files
Rocket Subject Files
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Saturn Rocket
Thor (Missile)
Sparrow (Missile)
United States. Army. Air Corps
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
McDonnell Douglas aircraft
Tschirgi, Joseph Martin
Box 01
Physical Description: Five Folders:
1. Johnson Space Center Badge.
2. Four Douglas Engineering Phone Directories.
3. Space Systems Center Dedication brochure, Huntington Beach, 1963.
4. Misc. documents (résumé, phone lists, correspondence, essay, newsletter clippings, and telegram).
5. Eight personal photos of Tschirgi (B&W).
6. Seven photos of various Space Programs (B&W and Color).
7. Eleven photos of RPVs (B&W and Color)