Thomas Edward Langenfeld

Lieutenant Colonel Thomas E. Langenfeld, United States Army, retired 

           Thomas E. Langenfeld of Crofton, Maryland, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, died on Tuesday, September 25, 2018 from prostate cancer at home. He was born in Plymouth, Wisconsin, on March 11, 1942, and grew up New Holstein, Wisconsin, son of the late Edward P. Langenfeld and Edith Bell Langenfeld.  He attended prep school at Campion High School in Prairie du Chien WI. He attended the University of Notre Dame where he earned a BBA degree in accounting and received his MSBA from Boston University. Colonel Langenfeld received his commission as a Military Intelligence officer through Notre Dame's Army ROTC program.

            Colonel Langenfeld's 26 years of service included a mix of strategic cryptologic and tactical intelligence assignments, including Thailand, Vietnam, and Germany.  Upon his return to the United States, he served at Ft. McPherson, Georgia, where he helped develop the Deep Operations Army-Air Force air interdiction targeting coordination procedures that were subsequently used during Desert Shield/Desert Storm.  In July 1990, he became Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army Special Security Group at Fort Meade; and, in 1992, became its commander.  In July 1993, Colonel Langenfeld transferred to the National Security Agency where he was Chief of the Ground Systems Branch for the Tactical Cryptologic Program. Colonel Langenfeld retired from the U.S. Army in June, 1994.

            Since 1994, Colonel Langenfeld worked as a Defense contractor with several Defense contractor firms, including BAE Systems, Inc. and its predecessor organizations.  He supported the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command, the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, G-2 at the Pentagon, from which position he retired in 2012. Since his retirement, Colonel Langenfeld loved golf, a passion which was not reciprocated by the game, served as a lector at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Crofton, and volunteered for the USO at Fort Meade and BWI Airport.

            Colonel Langenfeld's military awards and decorations included the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal for his service in Vietnam, the Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Army Parachutist Badge.

            Colonel Langenfeld is survived by his wife, Joan, his children, Kimberly Langenfeld, and Steven (Erin) Langenfeld, his step-mother, Mary Grace Langenfeld, four sisters, two brothers, a step-sister, three step-brothers, five grandchildren, and three great grandchildren, He was preceded in death by his daughter, Sondra (Jeff) Ludwig. Family will receive friends on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 from 6pm to 8pm at Beall Funeral Home, 6512 NW Crain Hwy. (Rt 3 South), Bowie, MD. A celebration of life will be held at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 1800 Seton Drive, Crofton, MD, Wednesday, October 3, 2018, at 11am.  Interment, Arlington National Cemetery, at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the USO, PO Box 96860 Washington, DC 20077 or Hospice of the Chesapeake, 90 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena, MD, 21122.