Stephen Muehlbauer

Biography of Stephen Muehlbauer

I come from German stock (Bavarian) and my great-great grandfather was a graduate of “Gross-Lichterfelde Military Academy” which in the late 1870s and 1880s was the German “West Point” while the American branch of my family served in the U.S. Army when called (read when drafted). With a German branch and an American branch of the family we always referred to World War I and World War II as the “civil wars” around the house. My family made sure that I was keenly aware of our German roots, however, and I spent 10 summers living with my Uncle (a “Knight’s Cross” winner) and his family and met many former “famous” World War II German veterans through him before I went away to college.

It would appear that I’m a “throwback” in our family because ever since I could remember I wanted to be a U.S. Army officer and serve without being “called”. I got my wish while getting my BA in History from Boston University. I earned an officer’s commission in the Infantry and practiced the military arts at what we called “The University of South Vietnam-School of Warfare”. When that “course” was over and I couldn’t find a job in the “Land of the Big PX” I made my way to Salisbury, Rhodesia and with the Rhodesian Light Infantry and Grey’s Scouts attended “The College of Rhodesia-School of Counter Insurgency” for six years and got married to a wonderful Rhodesian girl (that was 42+ years ago).

When I returned with my bride to the USA I managed to get a useless Master’s Degree in American History at UNH and did my thesis on “Banastre Tarleton and the First Counter Insurgency War”.

We undertook the typical American suburban life and I had white collar job from 9 to 5 and “punched a clock to show I was alive”. Now retired from both my civilian job and the U.S. Army Reserves I spend my time re-reading some of the 5000+ books I’ve amassed over my life time.