Gruenther, << GRUHN thuhr, >> Alfred Maximilian (1899-1983), an American Army officer, won fame for his work with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). He served as NATO’s supreme allied commander in Europe from 1953 to 1956. A gifted staff officer and administrator, he contributed to the unity and morale of the NATO alliance.
Gruenther was born in Platte Center, Nebraska. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1919. A major general during World War II, he helped General Dwight D. Eisenhower plan the Allied invasion of North Africa in 1942. He also took part in Allied and American staff operations in Europe and the Mediterranean. Gruenther became a full general in 1951. Eisenhower took command of the NATO military forces in Europe in 1951, and Gruenther became his chief of staff. Gruenther became commander two years later. He retired from the Army in 1956, and then served as president of the American Red Cross until 1964.
