General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

Alfred Maximilian Gruenther (March 3, 1899 – May 30, 1983) was a senior

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," f ...

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president, and

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...

player. After being commissioned towards the end of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, he served in the army throughout the interwar period and into

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, where he was primarily a

staff officer A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military ...

. Several years later, at the age of fifty-two, he became the second youngest four-star general in the

history of the United States Army The history of the United States Army began in 1775. From its formation, the United States Army has been the primary land based part of the United States Armed Forces. The Army's main responsibility has been in fighting land battles and military ...

after Douglas MacArthur and succeeded General

Matthew Ridgway General Matthew Bunker Ridgway (March 3, 1895 – July 26, 1993) was a senior officer in the United States Army, who served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1952–1953) and the 19th Chief of Staff of the United States Army (1953–1955). Altho ...

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe (SACEUR) serving from 1953 to 1956.

Early life and military career

Alfred Maximilian Gruenther (1899–1983) in the 1921 West Point yearbook

Gruenther was born in

Platte Center, Nebraska Platte Center is a village in Platte County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 336 at the 2010 census. History Platte Center was platted in 1880 by the railroad. It was named from its location near the geographical center of Platte C ...

, the son of Mary "Mayme" Shea, a school teacher, and Maximilian Gruenther, a newspaper editor who published the ''Platte Center Signal''. He attended St. Thomas Academy in

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center ...

. In June 1917, he entered the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

at West Point and after studying for nineteen months, graduated early due to the war, on November 1, 1918, with a rank of fourth in a class of 277. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Field Artillery but after the

Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the ...

he was recalled to West Point to complete his training, and graduated a second time in June 1919. Until May 1935, when he was promoted to captain, he served various tours of duty including teaching mathematics, electricity and chemistry at West Point for eight years. In September 1941, Gruenther, now a major, took part in the Army's Louisiana Maneuvers, the largest war exercises since World War I. Nearly 400,000 troops were involved. His performance was noticed by the Chief of Staff of the General Headquarters, United States Army (GHQ), Lt. Gen.

Lesley J. McNair Lesley James McNair (May 25, 1883 – July 25, 1944) was a senior United States Army officer who served during World War I and World War II. He attained the rank of lieutenant general during his life; he was killed in action during World War I ...

. In October 1941, Gruenther was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and became deputy chief of staff and then chief of staff of the Third Army as a colonel under Lt. Gen.

Walter Krueger Walter Krueger (26 January 1881 – 20 August 1967) was an American soldier and general officer in the first half of the 20th century. He commanded the Sixth United States Army in the South West Pacific Area during World War II. He rose fr ...

, headquartered in

San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

. Gruenther's immediate commanding officer was

Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

, and the two became bridge partners.

World War II

Gruenther was an adviser and planner to top generals in

. He possessed a strong power of analytical reasoning with capacity both to detail and overall perspective for which his colleagues called him "the Brain". In 1942, he was promoted to brigadier general and became a deputy chief of staff of Allied Force Headquarters in London under Gen. Eisenhower, who assigned him the Operation Torch development. A year later, he was promoted to major general and served as chief of staff of the Fifth Army, and the

15th Army Group The 15th Army Group was an Army Group in World War II, composed of the British Eighth and the U.S. Fifth Armies, which apart from troops from the British Empire and U.S.A., also had whole units from other allied countries/regions; like two of ...

under Gen.

Mark W. Clark Mark Wayne Clark (May 1, 1896 – April 17, 1984) was a United States Army officer who saw service during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. He was the youngest four-star general in the US Army during World War II. During World War I ...

; he was the principal planner of the allied invasions of North Africa in 1942 and Italy in 1943.

Post-war

After the end of World War II in 1945, Gruenther served as deputy commander of U.S. forces in Austria. In 1946-1947, he was appointed deputy commandant of the recently established National War College. In 1947, he served as

Director of the Joint Staff The director of the Joint Staff (DJS) is a three-star officer who assists the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a cabinet of senior military officers within the United States Armed Forces who advise the secretary of defense and the president on military ...

and then Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1947-1949. In 1949, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and served as the U.S. Army's deputy chief of staff for plans and operations. In 1951, Gruenther was promoted to

four-star general A four-star rank is the rank of any four-star officer described by the NATO OF-9 code. Four-star officers are often the most senior commanders in the armed services, having ranks such as (full) admiral, (full) general, colonel general, army ge ...

and appointed as the Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (COFS SHAPE) under Gen. Eisenhower, who became the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). He continued to serve under Gen.

and later replaced him as SACEUR. From July 11, 1953 to November 20, 1956, he was Supreme Allied Commander, Europe/Commander in Chief, U.S. European Command (SACEUR/USCINCEUR). On December 31, 1956, Gruenther retired from the Army.

Later years

In the 1956 presidential campaign, Gruenther's name was placed on the list of possible candidates for the Republican nomination after Eisenhower's heart attack on September 24, 1955. After serving two terms, President Eisenhower considered Gruenther as a possible alternative to

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

for the Republican presidential nomination in 1960, and later suggested Gruenther as a potential vice-president for Nixon, but ultimately realized that Gruenther did not have the political base required to get either place on the ticket. Gruenther served on the boards of Dart Industries, Inc.,

New York Life Insurance Company New York Life Insurance Company (NYLIC) is the third-largest life insurance company in the United States, the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States and is ranked #67 on the 2021 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States ...

, and

Pan American World Airways Pan American World Airways, originally founded as Pan American Airways and commonly known as Pan Am, was an American airline that was the principal and largest international air carrier and unofficial overseas flag carrier of the United States ...

. He also served on the Draper Committee and several presidential commissions on draft, health and disarmament. He was a president of the English-Speaking Union. Gruenther died of complications of pneumonia at

Walter Reed Army Hospital The Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC)known as Walter Reed General Hospital (WRGH) until 1951was the U.S. Army's flagship medical center from 1909 to 2011. Located on in the District of Columbia, it served more than 150,000 active and ret ...

on May 30, 1983, and is buried at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

Family

In 1922, Gruenther married Grace Elizabeth Crum of Jeffersonville, Indiana, who gave birth to two sons, Donald A. Gruenther, and Richard L. Gruenther; they both became career military officers. His great-grandson,

USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...

Captain Lucas Gruenther died at the age of 32 while flying an F-16 jet fighter on January 28, 2013, during a training mission over the

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...

Head of American Red Cross

From January 1957 to March 1964, he was president of the American Red Cross. As head of the Red Cross, Gruenther personally visited and inspected disaster areas in the United States. He made frequent public appearances, captivating the audience with "easy manner and conversational style." He received several awards for International Red Cross related activities, which included visits to Russia and Poland.

Bridge expert

Being a

practitioner, Gruenther published several books on the subject, including ''Duplicate Contract Complete: A Guide to Playing in and Conducting All Duplicate Bridge Contests'', and served as a referee at bridge national tournaments. In 1931, he refereed the Culbertson-Lenz bridge championship in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

which was dubbed by the press as "The

Bridge Battle of the Century The "Bridge Battle of the Century" was the name given to a celebrated 1931–1932 contract bridge challenge match between Ely Culbertson and Sidney Lenz and their partners. The match pitted Culberson's bidding system, which had been laid out in h ...

". After the West Point superintendent received a complaint about a full-time officer spending nights at bridge tournament, he audited Gruenther's 8 a.m. class. The Superintendent reported to his superiors that, "If I could be certain that being a bridge referee would have the same salutary effect on all the Military Academy's instructors as it has had on Lt. Gruenther, I would demand that they all become bridge referees in their spare time. I have never seen a finer chemistry instructor than Lt. Gruenther."General Gruenther, Ex-NATO Chief, Dies
''Washington Post,'' May 31, 1983. Gruenther was considered the best bridge player in the U.S. Army, and was

's favorite partner. Eisenhower was playing bridge when, in 1948, President Truman telephoned him to ask him to take the post of head of

, in Paris. On returning to the table, he was asked who he would appoint as his second-in-command. "Well, I ought to take Bedell Smith, but I think I'll take Gruenther because he's the better bridge player". He was an honorary member of the National Laws Commission of the

American Contract Bridge League The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) is a governing body for contract bridge in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. It is the largest such organization in North America having the stated mission ''"to promote, grow and sustain th ...

. He served as honorary president of the World Bridge Federation 1958-78.

Recognition

Brochure on the coats of arms of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe

Gen. Eisenhower characterized Gruenther as "one of the ablest all-around officers, civilian or military, I have encountered." Gruenther served with distinction as staff officer in U.S. military operations in the Mediterranean theater of World War II in 1942-1945, and as supreme Allied commander in Europe, during the Cold War in 1953-1956. In 1952, Gruenther became the youngest

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

historyPace, Eric
Alfred M. Gruenther, 84, Is Dead; Ex-Military Commander of NATO
''The New York Times'', p. D16, May 31, 1983. He is also sometimes credited to be the youngest major general in the U.S. Army in World War II, but that distinction belongs to James M. Gavin, who, as commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, was promoted to major general at the age of 37. Gruenther was featured on the cover of ''Time'' magazine on February 6, 1956. He appeared as a guest on the February 10, 1957, episode of the popular TV quiz show ''

What's My Line ''What's My Line?'' is a panel game show that originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, originally in black and white and later in color, with subsequent U.S. revivals. The game uses celebrity panelis ...

'' and on the March 10, 1957, episode of ''

Meet the Press ''Meet the Press'' is a weekly American television news/interview program broadcast on NBC. It is the longest-running program on American television, though the current format bears little resemblance to the debut episode on November 6, 1947. ' ...

''.''Meet the Press'': Sunday, March 10, 1957, with Guest General Alfred M. Gruenther. St. Paul, Minn: 3 MIM Press Co, 1972. Gruenther was the recipient of many national medals, including the Distinguished Service Medal with three

oak leaf clusters An oak leaf cluster is a ribbon device to denote preceding decorations and awards consisting of a miniature bronze or silver twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on the stem. It is authorized by the United States Armed Forces for a speci ...

,Dwight D. Eisenhower - American Presidency Project
''Citation Accompanying the Distinguished Service Medal Presented to General Gruenther'' and honorary degrees from several American universities, including a Litt.D. from

Bates College Bates College () is a private liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine. Anchored by the Historic Quad, the campus of Bates totals with a small urban campus which includes 33 Victorian Houses as some of the dormitories. It maintains of nature p ...

(1958). Altogether, he had honorary degrees from 38 universities and colleges and decorations from 20 nations.

References

External links

ANC Explorer
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gruenther, Alfred 1899 births 1983 deaths United States Army Field Artillery Branch personnel Military personnel from Nebraska Burials at Arlington National Cemetery United States Military Academy alumni People from Platte County, Nebraska Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) NATO Supreme Allied Commanders Laetare Medal recipients American contract bridge players Grand Crosses 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany United States Army generals of World War II United States Army generals