Alfred Gruenther
| Alfred Gruenther | |
|---|---|
Alfred Gruenther, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) (NATO Photo 1251)
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| Birth name | Alfred Maximilian Gruenther |
| Born |
March 3, 1899 Platte Center, Nebraska |
| Died | May 30, 1983 (aged 84) Washington, D.C. |
| Buried at | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
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| Years of service | 1919–1956 |
| Rank |
 General
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| Unit |
 Field Artillery Branch
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| 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 a senior United States Army officer, Red Cross president, and bridge player. At age fifty-three, he became the youngest four-star general in the U.S. Army's history. He succeeded General Matthew Ridgway as the Supreme Allied Commander (SACEUR) in Europe serving from 1953 to 1956.
Gruenther was born in Platte Center, Nebraska, 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. In June 1917, he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point and after studying for nineteen months due to the wartime, on 1 November 1918, was graduated fourth in a class of 277. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Field Artillery but after the Armistice he was recalled to West Point to complete his training, and was graduated second time in June 1919.
Until May 1935, when he was promoted to captain, he served various tours of duties including teaching for eight years mathematics, electricity and chemistry at West Point.
In September 1941, Gruenther, being a major, took part in the Army's Louisiana Maneuvers, the largest war exercises since the World War I which involved near 400,000 troops. His performance was noticed by Chief of Staff of the Army, Lt. Gen. Lesley J. McNair.
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 colonel under Lt. Gen. Walter Krueger, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. Gruenther's immediate commanding officer was Dwight D. Eisenhower with whom they became bridge partners.
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