Norbert P. Arnold, Jr. (November 3, 1920, – December 13, 2014) was an American mechanical engineer, businessman, and politician. Born in

Staples, Minnesota Staples is a city in Todd and Wadena counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 2,989 at the 2020 census. History Staples developed around a sawmill. The settlement was originally called Staples Mill, and under the latter na ...

, Arnold served in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...

. He owned a manufacturing company in Pengilly, Minnesota and had invented the Arnold Ranger V (later renamed Arnold Ferret Tracker), a twin-tracked, no-ski season vehicle. From 1967 to 1977, Arnold served in the

Minnesota State Senate The Minnesota Senate is the upper house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. At 67 members, half as many as the Minnesota House of Representatives, it is the largest upper house of any U.S. state legislature. Floor sessions are hel ...

and was a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

. In 1983, Arnold retired and moved to

Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota Inver Grove Heights is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 35,801 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city was formed on March 9, 1965, with the merger of the village of ...

.The Arnold Ranger V
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Notes

1920 births 2014 deaths People from Itasca County, Minnesota People from Staples, Minnesota University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering alumni American mechanical engineers 20th-century American inventors Businesspeople from Minnesota Military personnel from Minnesota Democratic Party Minnesota state senators People from Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota 20th-century American businesspeople United States Navy personnel of World War II 20th-century members of the Minnesota Legislature {{Minnesota-MNSenate-stub