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14  GENERALS OF THE ARMY AND THE AIR FORCE AND ADMIRALS OF THE NAVY

From June 1924 until September 1926, he had post-graduate instruction in Diesel Engineering at the Naval Academy and at Columbia University, receiving the degree of Master of Science from Columbia in 1926.  He returned to duty in submarines in October 1926, serving consecutively as Executive Officer of the USS S-15, in command of the USS S-17, and as Division Engineer Officer of Submarine Division 18, until April 1929.

After serving one year in the Bureau of Engineering, Navy Department, Washington, D. C., and two years as submarine superintendent at the Navy Yard, New York, he joined submarine Division 10, Asiatic Fleet, and served aboard the USS S-37 as Division Engineer Officer until May 1935.  He next had a tour of duty as Officer in Charge of the internal combustion engine laboratory at the Naval Engineering Experiment Station, Annapolis, Maryland, being detached in May 1937, to the USS ARKANSAS.  He was Navigator of that battleship until May 6, 1938, when he reported to the Naval Unit, Edgewood Arsenal, Edgewood, Maryland, for instruction in chemical warfare.

He returned to sea duty as first lieutenant and Damage Control Officer in the USS TUSCALOOSA in July 1938, and, in June 1939, was transferred to the USS HONOLULU, serving successively as Damage Control Officer and Operations Officer on the staff of Commander Cruisers, Battle Force, until February 1, 1941.  In February 1941, he became Assistant Operations Office on the staff of Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, USS PENNSYLVANIA, flagship.  After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, he continued to serve in that capacity, and spent a short time on Guadalcanal in September 1942, during the height of the struggle for that island.

For outstanding services during the period February 1, 1941, to July 1, 1943, he was awarded the Legion of Merit with the following citation:  "For exceptionally meritorious conduct ... as Assistant Operations Officer on the Staff of the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas, during operations against enemy Japanese forces, from December 7, 1941, to July 1, 1943.  An aggressive and persevering leader, (he) faithfully carried out his important tasks displaying skill and initiative throughout this vital period of accelerated activity ..."

He reported in August 1943, for duty on the staff of Commander in Chief of the United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department, Washington D. C.  While in that assignment he went ashore as Observer and Aide to the Commander in Chief during the invasion of Normandy in June 1944.  On October 31, 1944, he was ordered to the USS WASHINGTON and assumed command of that battleship on November 16, 1944.  Under his command the WASHINGTON participated in the carrier raids against Luzon, Formosa, the China Coast, Ryukyu Islands, Tokyo, and Kyushu, and in the bombardment invasions of Iwo Jima, Karama Islands, and Okinawa.

He was awarded the Gold Star in lieu of a Second Legion of Merit for "exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service as Commanding Officer of a United States Battleship in operation against the enemy during the period 16 November 1944 to 30 May 1945.  During prolonged and arduous combat operations in the course of which his ship participated in numerous in actions and bombardments of enemy held short defences, in numerous in actions and bombardments of enemy-held shore defenses, he consistently maintained the fighting efficiency of his ship at a high level and made possible an impressive record of destruction inflicted upon the enemy.  The effectiveness with which he  fought his ship was a very material factor in keeping to a minimum damage inflicted by the enemy upon the force of which he was a part ..."

He also received a Letter of Commendation with authorization to wear the Commendation Ribbon, for "meritorious conduct in the performance of his duties as Commanding Officer of the USS WASHINGTON in operations against the Japanese in support of the assault and occupation of Okinawa from 14 March 1945 to 1 June 1945.  Under his able command the USS WASHINGTON contributed materially to the damage inflicted upon the enemy and the protection afforded the fast carriers.  His inspiring leadership and outstanding professional skill contributed to the success of the Okinawa operations ..."

On July 1, 1945, he assumed command of Cruiser Division 6, and served in that command until August 31, when he reported to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.  He became Head of Fleet Operations Section, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, in November 1945.

In August 1947, he became Commander Cruiser Division ONE, and on January 3, 1948, was transferred to command of Cruiser Division THREE.  A year later, January 31, 1949, he assumed command of Service Force, U. S. Atlantic Fleet, and continued to serve in that command until November 1950, when he reported as Director of the General Planning Group, Naval Operations.  In August 1952, he was ordered to duty on the Joint Staff of the Commander in Chief, European Command, and on March 27, 1953, assumed duty as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Logistics).

Vice Admiral and Mrs. Good had an only child, First Lieutenant Roscoe F. Good, Jr., USMC, who was killed in action in Korea, April 24, 1951.  They have two grandchildren, Roxanne A. Good, age 8, and Roscoe F. Good, IV, age 6.

Address:  310 Kentucky Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia.


GRUENTHER, ALFRED MAXIMILIAN
GENERAL, USA (O12242)

NOTE:  This biographical sketch supersedes the biographical sketch which appeared in GENERALS OF THE ARMY in February 1953.

Born at Platte Center, Nebraska, March 3, 1899.  He was graduated from the U. S. Military Academy, November 1, 1918, fourth in his class, and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Field Artillery.  He is also a graduate of the Field Artillery School, the Chemical Warfare School, the Command and General Staff School and the Army War College.

From 1919 to 1941, General Gruenther served in routine peacetime assignments, among them 

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FEBRUARY, 1955 ISSUE  15

[[Image - portrait photograph captioned GENERAL ARTHUR M. GRUENTHER]]
U. S. Army Photograph

years as instructor and assistant professor at the U. S. Military Academy.  In October 1941 he was appointed deputy chief of staff of the Third Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Walter Krueger, of which (then) Brigadier Dwight D. Eisenhower was chief of staff.  In December 1941 he became chief of staff of the Third Army, under General Krueger.

General Gruenther was sent to London on August 1, 1942, as deputy chief of staff, Allied Forces Headquartes, of which General Eisenhower was in command.  When this Headquarters moved to Algiers, following the North African invastion, General Gruenther accompanied it.  In January 1943 he was named chief of staff of General Mark W. Clark's Fifth Army in North Africa and Italy.

In December 1944 General Gruenther was transferred to the 15th Army Group as chief of staff with General Clark as commander.  The 15th Army Group was the field command containing all combat units in Italy.  It included American, British, Polish, French, New Zealand and Italian units.

When General Clark became commander of the U. S. Force in Austria in July 1945 General Gruenther was named deputy commanding general, a position which he held until November 1945.  One month later, December 1945, he became deputy commandant of the National War College.

In October 1947 General Gruenther was appointed Director of the Joint Staff, which serves as the staff for the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the preparation of strategic and logistic plans for the armed forces.  On September 20, 1949, he became Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans at Army headquarters.

General Gruenther was appointed Chief of Staff of the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Powers in Europe on February 13, 1951.

During World War II General Gruenther took part in the North African campaign (November 1942 to January 1943) and the Italian campaign (from Salerno landing on September 9, 1943, until the German surrender in Italy on May 2, 1945).

In June 1943 he received the Distinguished Service Medal with the following citation:

"For exceptionally meritorious service in a position of great responsibility.  From the initial planning of the landings in North Africa until his appointment as chief of staff, Fifth Army, General Gruenther served as deputy chief of staff, Allied Force Headquarters.  He displayed ability to cope with great masses of detail and preserved an unruffled calm in the face of exceptional difficulties, lifting those associated with him above themselves.  His unselfish devotion to duty was an inspiration to all his associates and contributed markedly to the success of the Allied Force."

In October 1943, he received the Legion of Merit with the following citation:

"For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service as chief of staff, Third Army.  In carrying out this important assignment, he displayed outstanding organizational ability, keen and accurate judgement, superior knowledge of staff procedures, and an unusual understanding of the problems confronting an Army.  By his untiring efforts, thoroughness, patient persistence, absorbing attention to duty, and energetic control, he developed an efficient operating staff."

In August 1945, he was awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster to the Distinguished Service Medal with the following citation:

"Major General A. M. Gruenther served with conspicuous distinction as chief of staff, Fifth Army, from January 1943 to December 1944 and as chief of staff, 15th Army Group, from December 1944 to May 1945.  He forged the Fifth Army Staff into an extremely harmonious organization which functioned efficiently from the moment of its activation.  He demonstrated exceptional coordinating and executive ability in meeting the innumerable problems involved in the diverse missions accomplished by the Fifth Army.  These missions included territorial and political responsibility in French Morocco, a comprehensive training program for troops in North Africa, the planning and execution of a mass amphibious assault on the shores of Italy and the subsequent campaign up the Italian peninsula through the German Gothic Line in the northern Apennines.  On becoming chief of staff of the 15th Army Group in December 1944 he was faced with the problem of readjusting a predominately British staff to the requirements of an American commander.  He was largely responsible for the rapid organization of a smoothly-working team which planned the final offensive against the German forces remaining in Italy.  This operation resulted in the unconditional surrender on May 2, 1945, of all German forces in Italy and Western Austria.  General Gruenther's performance exemplified superior staff work."