George Irving Back
Major General, U.S. Army

George Irving Back was born on 24 February 1894 in Sioux City, IA. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Signal Officers' Reserve Corps on 27 November 1917. A year later Back was promoted to a First Lieutenant in the Signal Corps, Regular Army.

The highlights of Back's military career include:

• Serving as an instructor in World War I;

• Duty in the Training Section, Office of the Chief Signal Officer following the armistice in 1918;

• Appointment to Assistant Signal Officer in Headquarters, Hawaiian Department in 1922;

• Assignment to the Research and Engineering Division, Office of the Chief Signal Officer;

• Assignment as Technical Observer on the USAT cable ship Dellwood;

• Duty at the Signal Corps Laboratories at Fort Monmouth from 1929-33;

• Appointment in 1941 as Assistant Signal Officer to General Headquarters, Army War College;

• Executive Officer, Signal Supply Services, Office of the Signal Deputy Chief Signal Officer, Allied Forces Headquarters in 1942.

Back was the Chief Signal Officer of the U.S. Army from 1951-55.

Medals and Awards

Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Commander, Order of the British Empire
Grand Official and Order of the Crown of Italy
Brazilian War Medal

Personal

George Back married Rosalie Henry Rives, a WWI U.S. Navy Yeomanette from Halifax County, VA. She accompanied George to military posts in the U.S. and in Japan. They moved to St. Petersburg, FL, after his retirement in 1955.

Death and Burial

Major General George Irving Back died on 28 September 1972 in St. Petersburg, FL. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.

Rosalie Henry Rives Back was buried with her husband after her death on 22 January 1993.