Robert L. Springmeyer papers, 1923-1976

Robert L. Springmeyer was born in 1920. He graduated from Stanford University in 1942 with a B.A. in Engineering before joining the United States Army. In October of the same year, his engineering platoon led an assault to capture a Vichy French battleship in the neutral port of Casablanca. He was wounded at Tunisia when a German bomb he was disarming exploded. He was awarded the Purple Heart. After Tunisia, his platoon took part in the invasion of Italy, reaching Rome in 1944. The army then reassigned Springmeyer to duty in the United States. When the war ended, he studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and received a degree in Architecture. He came to Salt Lake and opened his own office in 1954. Some of the buildings he designed include the principal buildings at Salt Lake Community College and several elementary schools in Utah. One of Springmeyer's passions was skiing. In 1964 he joined the United States Ski Association Intermountain Division as director. He was also elected to the position of Vice-President for the United States Ski Association. He encouraged and fostered local youth ski racing in Utah. One way he accomplished this was through his involvement with the Salt Lake Ski Club, helping set up and being a timer for ski competitions. Springmeyer died 5 July 1988.