John Nesmith Greely – Brigadier General, United States Army

Born at Washington, D.C. on June 6, 1885, his parents were Adolphus Washington and Henrietta Nesmith Greely. He was educated at Phillips Academy, Andover, 1901-02, and received a BA degree from Yale in 1906. He graduated from the Field Artillery School in 1913, from the Command and General Staff School in 1932, from the Army War College in 1936. He married Marian Chapman on December 24, 1920 and they had one son, John Chapman Greely.

He initially worked as a reporter for the Boston Herald in 1906. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, United States Army, in 1908 and advanced through the grades to Brigadier General in 1941.

He served as a Representative to the U.S. Delegation to the Preparatory Disarmament Commission, Geneva, Switzerland, 1928; served as Chief of Staff, Hawaiian Department, 1932-35; Military Attaché, Madrid, Spain, 1939-40; Commanded the Provisional Brigade, Washington, D.C., 1940-41; commanded the 2nd Division, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, 1941; Chief of a Military Mission to Iran, 1941-42; Military Analyst, Office of Coordination for Inter-American Affairs, 1943; Special Military Observer, Brazil, 1944; and in Italy, 1944. He was decorated with the Distinguished Service Medal (US), Officer of the Legion of Honor (France).

He was the author of many books and contributed fiction to a number of publications.

He died in Washington, D.C. on June 13, 1965 and was buried among family members in Section 1 of Arlington National Cemetery.

GREELY, JOHN NESMITH
BGEN USA

  • VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 06/06/1885
  • DATE OF DEATH: 06/13/1965
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 06/16/1965
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 1  SITE 60-3
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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