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Alfred Maximilian Gruenther (March 3, 1899 – May 30, 1983) as a four-star General after World War II, served as the Supreme Allied Commander (SACEUR) in Europe from 1953 to 1956. ==Life and Military career== Gruenther was born in Platte Center, Nebraska, the son of Mary (née Shea) and Christian Gruenther.〔http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/gruenthe.htm〕 He attended St. Thomas Academy in Saint Paul, Minnesota. In 1918, he graduated fourth in his class at the United States Military Academy at West Point. In 1952, he was the youngest four-star general in U.S. history〔Pace, Eric. "Alfred M. Gruenther, 84, Is Dead; Ex-Military Commander of NATO," ''New York Times'', 31 May 1983〕 and an adviser and planner to top generals in World War II. He was chief of staff of the Third Army, Fifth Army, and the 15th Army Group; and was the principal American planner of the allied invasions of North Africa in 1942 and Italy in 1943. He is 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 promoted to the temporary rank of major general at the age of 43 or 44. After the end of World War II in 1945, he was deputy commander of U.S. forces in Austria. From 1953 to December 31, 1956, when he retired, he was supreme allied commander in Europe/commander-in-chief of the U.S. European Command. He appeared on the February 6, 1956 cover of ''Time''. From January 1 1957 to March 1964, he was president of the American Red Cross. He was a member of the Draper Committee and appeared as a guest on February 10, 1957 on the successful TV quiz show What's My Line. In 1958, General Gruenther received a Litt.D. from Bates College. Gruenther was the recipient of many national medals, including the Distinguished Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters(), and honorary degrees from American universities. His great-grandson, Captain Lucas Gruenther, also was a distinguished member of the military before passing away on January 28, 2013, during a training mission over the Adriatic Sea in an F-16 jet fighter at the age of 32.〔()〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Alfred Gruenther」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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