World War I and The Inter-War Years
He was sent to France as an observer with British forces in 1917 World War I. During the American build up, he served as assistant chief of staff for I Corps and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his work during the American offensives of 1918.
In 1919, he attended the Army War College then at Washington Barracks, now Fort Leslie McNair, in Washington, D.C. He served with the 1st Infantry Division (United States) at Camp Dix, then to Washington, D.C. to serve in the office of the Army Chief of Staff. He returned to the field as a lieutenant colonel of the 10th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Huachuca, Arizona in 1925.
After a second tour of duty in the office of the Army Chief of Staff, Grunert attended the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas from 1930 to 1932. In 1933, he was the director of military intelligence and espionage division course at the Army War College and in 1935, he became director of war plans division course.
In 1936, he was posted to the Philippines as commanding officer of the 26th Cavalry Regiment (United States) and at that time, through Army oversight, the only remaining cavalry unit not yet compelled to modernize. He received his promotion to brigadier general in December 1936 in preparation for his command of the 23rd Brigade, also stationed in the Philippines.
Grunert succeeded George C. Marshall who was leaving command of 5th Brigade at Vancouver Barracks, Washington to become U.S. Army Chief of Staff in August 1939. While there Grunert was promoted to major general in 1939.
From May 1940 to November 1941 Grunert commanded the Philippine Department, directing the U.S. Army supervision and control over the Philippine defense force that Douglas MacArthur came out of retirement to command.
Read more about this topic: George Grunert
Famous quotes containing the words world war, world, war and/or years:
“Fifty million Frenchmen can’t be wrong.”
—Anonymous. Popular saying.
Dating from World War I—when it was used by U.S. soldiers—or before, the saying was associated with nightclub hostess Texas Quinan in the 1920s. It was the title of a song recorded by Sophie Tucker in 1927, and of a Cole Porter musical in 1929.
“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
“It is a war against the pines, the only real Aroostook or Penobscot war.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“I was born a mechanic, and made a barrel before I was ten years old. The cooper told my father, “Fanny made that barrel, and has done it quicker and better than any boy I have had after six months’ training.” My father looked at it and said, “What a pity that you were not born a boy so that you could be good for something. Run into the house, child, and go to knitting.””
—Frances D. Gage (1808–1884)