Colorado Schools of Mines 1960
Hometown: Golden, Colorado
Inducted May 2016
Colonel Edward (Ed) G. Rapp, Professional Engineer (P.E.), United States Army (USA), (Ret), graduated from Colorado School of Mines in 1960 with the silver diploma from Geology and Geological Engineering, and Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG). He immediately was commissioned into the regular Army and on active duty as a combat engineer. He served two years in Vietnam and Cambodia earning four Bronze Star medals, the Air Medal, and the Vietnam Honor Medal 1st Class. He later commanded the 802nd Engineer Battalion in Korea.
Colonel (Ret) Rapp’s stateside assignments were with the Atomic Energy Commission as a research geophysicist, a tactical officer at West Point, chief of engineer professional development branch, a branch chief in the Program Analysis and Evaluation (PA&E) office of The Chief of Staff of the Army, assistant to the Chief of Engineers, District Engineer St. Paul, and Comptroller and Director of Resources US Army Corps of Engineers. His command and staff awards are the Legion of Merit 2 awards, Army Meritorious Service Medal 2 awards, and the Army Commendation Medal.
Colonel (Ret) Rapp’s graduate school achievements include Master of Science, Civil Engineering, a Master of Military Arts and Science, and Graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Along the way he was a Research Associate at Lawrence Livermore Labs, a Senior Research Fellow at the National Defense University, and a prolific published writer.
Colonel (Ret) Rapp married his high school sweetheart Trudy Johnston after a four year chase, and they have five children and eleven grandchildren.
Colonel (Ret) Rapp’s civilian career has continued in a “DARE AND DO” mode as a County Commissioner, a professor, a mentor, and an entrepreneur. His civilian awards include the Society American Engineers (SAME) President’s Gold Medal, the SAME Lifetime Achievement Award, and separate Conservationist of the Year awards from the US Forest Service and Trout Unlimited.