Martin W. Baumgaertner Photo Album

Martin W. Baumgaertner was born 17 August 1912 in Huntley, Illinois, to Pastor Louis and Margaret Baumgaertner. He attended Concordia College (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) and graduated from Concordia Seminary (Saint Louis) in 1936. From 1936 to 1941 he served as pastor of Bethel Lutheran Church (Austin, Indiana). On 12 March 1941 he was apointed to serve as a U.S. Army Reserve Chaplain, and in 1946 he became a chaplain in the regular army, transferring to the U.S. Air Force when it became a separate military service. He retired from active duty in October 1964 and received the Martin of Tours Medal in 1968. From 1964 to 1970 was was on the development staff at Valparaiso University (Valparaiso, Indiana) and in 1970 he became pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church (Charlotte, North Carolina). He died on 2 April 1990 in Charlotte.