Alfred Gruenther
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| Alfred Maximilian Gruenter | |
|---|---|
| March 3, 1899 – May 30, 1983 (aged 84) | |
 Gen Alfred Gruenter, SACEUR (NATO Photo 1251) |
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| Place of birth | Platte Center, Nebraska |
| Place of death | Washington, D.C. |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1917-1956 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1953-1956) |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal (4) |
| Other work | American Red Cross president (1957-1964) |
Alfred Maximilian Gruenther (March 3, 1899-May 30, 1983) was the youngest World War II Major General and after the war, as a four-star General, served as the Supreme Allied Commander (SACEUR) in Europe from 1953 to 1956.
Gruenther was born in Platte Center, Nebraska. He attended St. Thomas Academy in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He graduated fourth in his class at the U.S. Military Academy in 1919. He was the youngest four-star general in U.S. history, advisor and planner to top generals in World War II. He served as chief of staff of the Third Army, Fifth Army, Fifteenth Army Group, and was principal American planner of the allied invasions of North Africa in 1942 and Italy in 1943.
After World War II, he became deputy commander of U.S. forces in Austria in 1945, and was appointed supreme allied commander in Europe/commander-in-chief of the U.S. European Command in 1953, serving in that capacity until his retirement in 1956. He appeared on the cover of Time, February 6, 1956. General Gruenther retired from military service in 1956.
After retiring from the Army, he served as president of American Red Cross from 1957 to 1964 and was a member of the Draper Committee. Gruenther received a Litt.D. from Bates College in 1958.
Gruenther was the recipient of many nations' medals, including the Distinguished Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters[1] and honorary degrees from American universities.
Contents |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Alfred Maximiliam Gruenter, General, Arlington National Cemetery biography.
- Biography, Nebraska State Historical Society.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower - American Presidency Project: Citation Accompanying the Distinguished Service Medal Presented to General Gruenther
[edit] External links
[edit] Further reading
- "Men, Missiles and Misunderstandings", address by Alfred Gruenther, Red Cross president, to the Empire Club of Canada, 25 Feb 1960.
| Preceded by Gen. Matthew Ridgway |
Supreme Allied Commander Europe (NATO) 1953—1956 |
Succeeded by Gen. Lauris Norstad |
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