Background
Brucker was born in Saginaw, Michigan, the son of Democratic United States. Representative Ferdinand Brucker.
Brucker was born in Saginaw, Michigan, the son of Democratic United States. Representative Ferdinand Brucker.
He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1916 and enlisted in the Michigan National Guard, serving with its 33rd Infantry Regiment on the Mexican border during the Pancho Villa Expedition from 1916 to 1917. He attended Officer Training Camp at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, and was commissioned a second lieutenant.
Born in Saginaw, Michigan, he served as the 32nd Governor of Michigan from 1931 to 1933 and as the United States Secretary of the Army between July 21, 1955 and January 19, 1961. Brucker served in France during World War I with the 166th Infantry, 42d Division, in the Château Thierry, Saint Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne operations, 1917–1918. A Republican, after the war, Brucker was assistant prosecuting attorney of Saginaw County from 1919 to 1923, and then prosecuting attorney from 1923 to 1927.
He served as assistant attorney general of Michigan, 1927–1928, and as Michigan Attorney General, 1928–1930.
In 1930 he was elected as Michigan"s 32nd Governor, serving one term until being defeated in 1932 by Democrat William Comstock. During his two years in office, the police force in Michigan increased and a new state police headquarters in Lansing was authorized.
Also Michigan enacted legislation that allowed grand juries to investigate allegations of municipal government fraud and mismanagement. In 1936, Brucker defeated incumbent United States. Senator James Couzens in the Republican primary elections, but lost to Democrat Prentiss M. Brown in the general election.
Brucker administered the Army during a period of major technological advance, especially in the missile-satellite field, and at a time when the Army’s place in the national defense structure was overshadowed by a philosophy of "massive retaliation".
Under his direction the Army instituted a five-element (pentagonal) organization concept for the division, established a Strategic Army Corps for emergency reaction, launched the United States’ first satellite, Explorer I, and adopted the Army Flag. He died in Detroit on October 28, 1968, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Brucker Hall at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall is named for him.
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He was a member of the law firm of Clark, Klein, Brucker, and Waples, 1937–1954, and served as General Counsel of the Department of Defense from 1954 to 1955, during the Army-McCarthy Hearings. He returned to legal practice in Detroit with the firm of Brucker and Brucker, 1961–1968, and was a member of the Board of Directors of Freedoms Foundation.