Oscar Wollverton Griswold
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army

Oscar Wollverton Griswold was born on 22 October 1886 in Ruby Valley, NV.

He attended the University of Nevada, Reno from 1905 to 1906, when he received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy. He graduated with the Class of 1910 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry.

World War I

His early company grade assignments included three years service in China from 1914-17. During World War I he served as a Major and Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. 84th Infantry Division, American Expeditionary Force from 1918-19, and participated in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

Inter-War Years

He was assigned to the U.S. Military Academy from 1921-24. He graduated from the Command and General Staff College in 1925, graduating 189th in a class of 258, and graduated from the U.S. Army War College in 1929.

From 1929-31, he served with the War Department General Staff. This duty was followed by service with the U.S. Army Air Corps. He served as a member of the Infantry Board from 1932-36, and from 1936-39 was assigned to the Office, Chief of Infantry.

World War II

Griswold commanded the 29th Infantry from September 1939 to October 1940. He was promoted to Brigadier General in October 1940 and became Commanding General of the Infantry Replacement Training Center at Camp Croft, SC. Promoted to Major General in August 1941, he commanded the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized).

In April 1943, he became Commanding General of XIV Corps, which fought in New Georgia, Bougainville and in the Philippines.

He was promoted to Lieutenant General in early 1945 and continued serving in the Pacific Theater under Douglas MacArthur, including during the Battle of Manila in February 1945. In June 1945, General of the Army MacArthur nominated Griswold to command the Tenth United States Army following the death of Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr. in the Battle of Okinawa. However, he was passed over in favor of General Joseph Stilwell.

Post-War Service

After World War II, Griswold served as Commanding General of Seventh Army from 11 June 1946 to 15 March 1947, and then Third Army from 15 March 1947 to 14 April 1947. He retried from the Army in 1947.

Medals and Awards

Army Distinguished Service Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart
Air Medal
World War I Victory Medal
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Philippine Liberation Ribbon with Bronze Star

Honors

In 1946 he received a Doctor of Laws from the University of Nevada, Reno.

In Retirement

In October 1947, he retired to The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, CO.

Death and Burial

Lieutenant General Oscar Wollverton Griswold died on 28 September 1959. He is buried at the U.S. Military Academy Post Cemetery in West Point, NY.