CWO5 Gordon J. Wehri, U.S. Marine Corps

Gordon Wehri, a native of Hebron, North Dakota, enlisted in the Marine Corps in September 1968. After completion of Boot Camp and Field Artillery Fire Direction and Surveyors course, he served in numerous positions at Battalion, Brigade, and Regiment in the 13th Marines, the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, the 12th Marine Artillery Regiment, and the Second Field Artillery Group. In 1975, Staff Sergeant Wehri was assigned as a Drill Instructor for the 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Parris Island. After his second overseas tour in 1979, Wehri was assigned as a gunnery instructor at the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, where he served as an instructor for both 0844 and 0861 MOS. He was then appointed as a Warrant Officer and attended several courses. He was subsequently assigned to the 10th Marine Regiment as the Regimental Survey/Meteorological Officer and the 10th Marines Target Acquisition Battery Sound and Flash Platoon Commander. While at 10th Marines, they attached to the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit and provided common grid to Observation Posts, RADAR sites, Battery positions, and Tank calibration ranges throughout the Beirut Area of Operations. After his third overseas tour with the 12th Marine Regiment, he was assigned to the FA School, where he served as the Survey Branch Chief for the Target Acquisition Department. During this period, the FA Survey and Meteorological modernization were underway with the arrival of the Position and Azimuth Determining System and the Meteorological Data System. In 1991, he was ordered to a fourth overseas tour and upon completion, returned to the FA School once again as the Meteorological Branch Chief, Fire Support and Combined Arms Division. Field Artillery Meteorological technology was modernizing again with the transition to the HMMWV-mounted Meteorological Measuring System. In 1998, CWO5 Wehri retired from the Marines with 30 years of service. Mr. Wehri then accepted a position with the Director of Combat Developments at Fort Sill. His first assignment was as Survey, Meteorological, and Radar Branch Chief for the Director of Combat Developments. He then accepted the position of Deputy Director at TPO Sensors in 2006. In 2011, Mr. Wehri accepted a position as Deputy Director, TRADOC Capability Manager, Fires Cells, CDID. During his tour, he spearheaded the modernization effort for AFATDS and managed the Joint Effects Targeting System, one of the most technologically advanced Fire Support sensors in the world. Mr. Wehri was responsible for creating and implementing the Army’s fire support command and control modernization strategy. Throughout his 50-plus years of service to our nation, Gordon Wehri has taught the science and art of Fire Support to generations of Marines and Soldiers, developed the Fire Support capabilities required to outmatch our adversaries, and fielded complex technologies that have been used in combat operations worldwide. His far-ranging contributions in each of these fields have a lasting impact and significantly enhanced the lethality of the Field Artillery.