Edmund B. Gregory
Encyclopedia
Edmund Bristol Gregory was a Lieutenant General
in the United States Army
.
, on July 4, 1882.
He graduated from the United States Military Academy
at West Point in 1904, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry.
from 1904 to 1905. From 1905 to 1908 he was assigned to Vancouver Barracks, Washington
.
He was again assigned to duty in the Philippines, serving from 1908 to 1910, when he was transferred to Fort William Henry Harrison
, Montana, where he remained until 1911.
From 1911 to 1912 he was Professor of History and English at West Point. He then went to the Philippines for the third time, serving there until 1916.
Gregory served at the General Supply Depot in Jeffersonville, Indiana
from 1917 to 1921 and transferred from the infantry to Quartermaster
in 1920. From 1921 to 1922 he was assistant supply officer at Atlanta, Georgia's General Intermediate Depot.
He served in Shanghai, China from 1922 to 1924 and was an advisor to the New York National Guardrom 1924 to 1927. Gregory was then assigned to the Office of the Quartermaster General in Washington, D.C. where he served from 1928 to 1933, and he received a master's of business administration degree from Harvard University
in 1929.
From 1933 to 1936 Gregory was assigned to Headquarters, II Corps and he graduated from the Army War College in 1937.
Gregory served in the Office of Quartermaster General from 1937 to 1940, when he was appointed as the Army's Quartermaster General, advancing from Colonel
directly to Major General
. In 1945 he was promoted to Lieutenant General, the first Quartermaster Officer to attain this rank. As Quartermaster General during World War II, he oversaw the development, procurement and distribution of billions of dollars worth of equipment and supplies. Gregory also supervised the training of thousands of quartermaster soldiers. In addition, he had responsibility for over 900,000 civilian personnel employed by contractors to produce supplies, equipment, ammunition and vehicles for the war effort.
After the war he was assigned as Chairman of the War Assets Corporation, responsible for disposing of the surplus of wartime bases, supplies and equipment, where he served until his 1946 retirement.
.
His commendations and decorations included two awards of the Distinguished Service Medal
, Philippine Campaign Medal
, Mexican Border Service Medal
, World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal
, American Campaign Medal
, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
, World War II Victory Medal
.
General Gregory was one of the first inductees of the Quartermaster Hall of Fame during the hall's 1986 charter year.
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
Early life and education
Gregory was born at Storm Lake, IowaStorm Lake, Iowa
Storm Lake is a city in Buena Vista County, Iowa, United States. The population was 10,600 in the 2010 census, an increase from 10,076 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Buena Vista County. Storm Lake is home to Buena Vista University, originally Buena Vista College...
, on July 4, 1882.
He graduated from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point in 1904, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry.
Military career
Gregory served with the 14th Infantry Regiment in the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
from 1904 to 1905. From 1905 to 1908 he was assigned to Vancouver Barracks, Washington
Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading outpost along the Columbia River that served as the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company in the company's Columbia District...
.
He was again assigned to duty in the Philippines, serving from 1908 to 1910, when he was transferred to Fort William Henry Harrison
Fort William Henry Harrison
Fort William Henry Harrison is the Montana National Guard training facility.-History:Fort William Henry Harrison was authorized by a Congressional act of 12 May 1892 which was intended to establish, as a part of a greater consolidation program, concentrations of troops in a few larger...
, Montana, where he remained until 1911.
From 1911 to 1912 he was Professor of History and English at West Point. He then went to the Philippines for the third time, serving there until 1916.
Gregory served at the General Supply Depot in Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville is a city in Clark County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. Locally, the city is often referred to by the abbreviated name Jeff. It is directly across the Ohio River to the north of Louisville, Kentucky along I-65. The population was 44,953 at the 2010 census...
from 1917 to 1921 and transferred from the infantry to Quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
in 1920. From 1921 to 1922 he was assistant supply officer at Atlanta, Georgia's General Intermediate Depot.
He served in Shanghai, China from 1922 to 1924 and was an advisor to the New York National Guardrom 1924 to 1927. Gregory was then assigned to the Office of the Quartermaster General in Washington, D.C. where he served from 1928 to 1933, and he received a master's of business administration degree from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1929.
From 1933 to 1936 Gregory was assigned to Headquarters, II Corps and he graduated from the Army War College in 1937.
Gregory served in the Office of Quartermaster General from 1937 to 1940, when he was appointed as the Army's Quartermaster General, advancing from Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
directly to Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
. In 1945 he was promoted to Lieutenant General, the first Quartermaster Officer to attain this rank. As Quartermaster General during World War II, he oversaw the development, procurement and distribution of billions of dollars worth of equipment and supplies. Gregory also supervised the training of thousands of quartermaster soldiers. In addition, he had responsibility for over 900,000 civilian personnel employed by contractors to produce supplies, equipment, ammunition and vehicles for the war effort.
After the war he was assigned as Chairman of the War Assets Corporation, responsible for disposing of the surplus of wartime bases, supplies and equipment, where he served until his 1946 retirement.
Death and legacy
General Gregory died at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. on January 26, 1961 and was buried in Section 2, Lot E 134-2 at Arlington National CemeteryArlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
His commendations and decorations included two awards of the Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (Army)
The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
, Philippine Campaign Medal
Philippine Campaign Medal
The Philippine Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces which was created to denote service of U.S. military members in the Philippine-American War between the years of 1899 and 1913. Although a single service medal, the Philippine Campaign Medal was issued under...
, Mexican Border Service Medal
Mexican Border Service Medal
The Mexican Border Service Medal was a decoration of the United States military which was established by an act of the United States Congress on July 9, 1918...
, World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal
American Defense Service Medal
The American Defense Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military, recognizing service before America’s entry into the Second World War but during the initial years of the European conflict.-Criteria:...
, American Campaign Medal
American Campaign Medal
The American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was...
, World War II Victory Medal
World War II Victory Medal
The World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of...
.
General Gregory was one of the first inductees of the Quartermaster Hall of Fame during the hall's 1986 charter year.
Sources
- Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy, George W. Cullum, 1910, page 873
- Army List and Directory, published by the U.S. Army Adjutant General's Office, 1919, page 102
- History of the Fourteenth United States Infantry, from January, 1890 to December, 1908, Lewis Stone Sorley, 1909, page 133
- Newspaper article, Gen. Gibbins Retires March 31: Colonel Edmund B. Gregory, at Present Acting Quartermaster General, Will Succeed Him and be Promoted to the Grade of Major General, New York Times, March 13, 1940
- Newspaper article, The Toughest Job in the Army, Los Angeles Times, October 6, 1940
- Newspaper article, General E.B. Gregory War Assets Corp. Head, Associated Press, published in Hartford Courant, December 23, 1945
- Magazine article, War Wonder For You, Popular Mechanics, February 1945, volume 83, number 2, page 65
- Proceedings of the Conference on Quartermaster Textile Research, published by Inter-society Council for Textile Research, Textile Research Institute, 1946,
- Newspaper article, GI Surplus Priority Bill Signed: Will Help Country, Truman Says, New York Times, May 4, 1946
- Newspaper article, WAA Chief Resigns: Gen. Gregory Will Be Succeeded by Gen. Robert Littlejohn, New York Times, June 30, 1946
- Facts on File Yearbook, 1950, Volume 3, Page 277
- Newspaper article, Gen. Gregory Dead, War Supplies Chief, Is Dead, Chicago Tribune, January 28, 1961
- Newspaper article, Edmund B. Gregory Dies at 78: Wartime Quartermaster General, New York Times, January 28, 1961
- U.S. Army Quartermaster Foundation web site, Quartermaster Hall of Fame page (cached version), http://www.wikiwak.com/texis/wcolz/viewcache.html?q=edmund+gregory&h=258e64bc2d087b52481d44d032e76d5d