“Atomic Soldier” Leaves Estate to OSU Bernard Karen’s gift to benefit College of Engineering, Architecture & Technology students   The Oklahoma State University Foundation (OSUF) announced today an estate gift, estimated to be worth more than $750,000, bequeathed by alumnus Bernard Karen for the benefit of graduate students in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology (CEAT) at OSU. “We are extremely honored that Mr. Karen would remember OSU in this way and direct such a generous gift to the benefit of OSU students,” said OSU Foundation President & CEO Kirk Jewell. “This demonstration of generosity embodies the commitment of many of our distinguished Oklahoma State alumni, like Bernard, and provides an enduring gift for future generations.”

Bernard Karen

After serving in World War II and during his tenure as a soldier in the United States Army, Karen studied mechanical engineering at the associates, bachelor’s and master’s level at OSU in the 1950s.

After earning his final degree, the Manhattan, Kan., native was transferred with the Army to different locales across the U.S. to work in rocket engineering. His distinguished career including working with rocket engineering giants, like Wernher von Braun, who helped set the United States on the path to space exploration; designing Lockheed Martin’s smallest rocket engine; and publishing a famous article concerning rocketry and manned lunar flight called, “Propulsion Capabilities for Lunar Missions.”

During his tenure in the Army, Karen was part of a select class of WWII soldiers who were subjected to an unprotected, surface-level atomic bomb explosion resulting in harmful radiation exposure.

Now known as the “Atomic Soldiers,” the members of this group would later learn the effects of nuclear radiation on their health and their bodies. For Karen this meant a plague of illnesses ranging from cancerous skin lesions to a brain tumor and Parkinson’s Disease-like symptoms.

Karen survived the ill-effects of the radiation for approximately 60 years after his exposure eventually retiring from CF Braun and Company, a petroleum and chemical engineering company based in Alhambra, Calif.

“His view was that he helped the nation,” said CEAT Dean Karl Reid. “He accepted it as an unfortunate incident, but did not try to make a big case of it.”

Proceeds from the sale of Karen’s estate will be used to purchase, update and maintain quality research equipment for CEAT master’s and doctoral degree candidates.

The Oklahoma State University Foundation serves as the private fundraising organization for OSU, as designated by the OSU Regents. Its mission is to unite donor and university passions and priorities to achieve excellence.

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