Von Braun and his team were brought to the United States as part of Operation Paperclip, a secret program to recruit German scientists and engineers to work for the US government. He began working at Fort Bliss, Texas.

At Fort Bliss, von Braun and his team worked on assembling and launching captured V-2 rockets for research purposes. They also trained American engineers in rocketry. This period served to establish his credibility and demonstrate the potential of rocket technology to the US military.

Von Braun and his team were transferred to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. This marked the beginning of a long and fruitful association with the city, which would become a major center for rocket development.

Von Braun's team focused on developing the Redstone rocket, which was based on the V-2 design but incorporated improvements and modifications. The Redstone would eventually be used to launch America's first satellite.

Von Braun co-authored 'Crossing the Final Frontier', a book outlining the feasibility and scientific benefits of human space exploration, helping to popularize the idea of space travel amongst the American public.

Von Braun officially became a naturalized citizen of the United States of America. This solidified his commitment to the American space program and allowed him to fully participate in its future.

The Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) was established, with von Braun as its technical director. This gave him greater authority and resources to pursue his rocket development goals.