Defense Geospatial Information Agency "Division General Constantin Barozzi"

GHEORGHE DRĂGĂNESCU

Colonel - 1932-1934 - Director of the Military Geographic Institute

GHEORGHE DRĂGĂNESCU was born on October 28, 1878, in the locality of Măneciu Ungureni, Prahova County.

He began his military career by enrolling as a student at the Officer School on July 1, 1899. After graduating, on July 1, 1901, he was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant and assigned to the 9th Regiment, Râmnicu Sărat.

On October 15, 1905, he was transferred to the 32nd Regiment, Mircea.

He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on November 1, 1906.

On April 1, 1908, without specifying the reasons, his military record included the following brief note: "Placed in retirement ex officio, according to Article 27 of the Law on the Position of Officers."

On May 1, 1910, under similarly unclear circumstances, the following statement was recorded: "Employed as a topographic engineer at the Geographic Service – order of the Minister of War No. 317/1910."

Thus, after being placed in reserve in 1908 for unknown reasons, Gheorghe Drăgănescu returned as a topographic engineer in 1910, according to the note cited above.

On July 1, 1913, he was listed as assigned to the 2nd Vâlcea Regiment with the mention "transferred from retirement status to the reserve element."

On November 28, 1913, he was promoted to the rank of "captain in the reserve."

On August 27, 1914, it was recorded that he was "called up for training," and on September 27, he was "granted leave until further orders."

On June 16, 1915, without additional details, he was transferred to the 72nd Infantry Regiment, and on August 5, 1916, he was listed as "mobilized."

On April 1, 1917, he was promoted to the rank of "major in the reserve," and on August 3, 1917, he was recorded as "wounded," without specifying the circumstances or military operations in which he was involved. On May 11, 1918, he was listed as "demobilized" but assigned to the 13th Recruit Regiment.

Serving as a "major in the reserve," on April 1, 1918, he was "transferred to active duty as a peacetime major" within the 72nd Infantry Regiment.

On December 14, 1918, he was listed as a "peacetime major with special assignments."

On January 15, 1920, he was recorded as an "active major" with the mention that he was "transferred to the 80th Infantry Regiment and placed on the active duty lists with seniority from November 1, 1916."

After this date, he was transferred to the Army Geographic Service with the note: "on September 8, 1917, promoted to lieutenant colonel with the seniority of a major from November 1, 1916."

On August 1, 1931, it was noted that "his detachment from the Romanian-Polish border commission ended on the same date; his detachment to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was renewed." Starting on October 1, 1931, he reported to the Military Geographic Institute (which had replaced the Army Geographic Service in 1930) and was appointed as deputy director.

In 1932, he was appointed director of the Military Geographic Institute.

On December 1, 1934, he was placed in reserve due to reaching the age limit, but on the same date, he "returned" to active service.

He was promoted to the rank of general in the reserve on May 10, 1936, and remained in this position within the Military Geographic Institute until January 1, 1944, when he was "officially placed in retirement due to reaching the age limit."

The date of his death is unknown.