John H. Griebel

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John Houghton Griebel
1st Defense Battalion
Battles/warsNicaraguan Campaign
Yangtze Patrol
World War II
Awards
Army Commendation Medal

John Houghton Griebel (June 28, 1901 - March 10, 1969) was a decorated officer in the

5th Marine Regiment during the Battle of Okinawa.[1]

Early years

John H. Griebel was born on June 28, 1901, in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of William H. and Catherine Houghton Griebel. Following the high school, he entered the Rutgers University, where he was a member of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps and reached the rank of captain.[1]

He graduated in June 1926 with

Philadelphia Navy Yard for basic officer training, which he completed in February 1927 and embarked for Nicaragua as a member of the 2nd Marine Brigade under Brigadier general Logan Feland.[1]

Griebel took participated in the jungle patrols against

4th Marine Regiment in Shanghai
.

He spent two months with guard duties at Shanghai International Settlement and then embarked for the Philippines for three-month duty with the Marine Barracks at Olongapo. Griebel then returned to Shanghai and remained there until February 1930, when he was ordered back to the United States.[2]

Griebel subsequently served with the Marine Detachment at the

New York Navy Yard until January 1932, when he was ordered to the Panama Canal Zone for guard duties. While in this capacity, he was promoted to first lieutenant in November 1932.[1]

He was ordered to the

4th Marine Regiment under Colonel Charles F. B. Price
.

Griebel then served his second tour of duty in Shanghai until November 1937, when he was appointed Commanding officer of the Marine Detachment aboard the gunboat

Naval Station Cavite, Philippine Islands.[1]

World War II

Griebel as Major in 1942.

Griebel was ordered back to the United States in August 1940 and assumed duty as Post Maintenance Officer at Marine Barracks, Quantico under Major general Louis M. Little and Holland Smith consecutively. He served in this capacity until June 1942, when he assumed command of 155mm Group of the 10th Marine Defense Battalion under Colonel Robert Blake at San Diego, California.[1]

The Marine Defense Battalions were special marine units, which were designated the defense force of the Pacific naval bases and should be placed on Midway Atoll, Wake Island, Johnston Atoll and Palmyra Atoll. Shortly after he joined the 10th Defense Battalion, he was promoted to major.[3][4]

Griebel participated in the training of 10th Defense Battalion in San Diego until August 1942, when he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and ordered to

Army Commendation Medal.[1]

Griebel as Director of Third Marine Corps Reserve District, hands over the Letter of Appreciation to composers of Marine Reserve Marching Song.

He remained in that assignment until the end of December 1943 and joined

2nd Marine Regiment under Colonel Walter J. Stuart as Executive officer.[5]

The 2nd Marine Division, including 2nd Marines, finally embarked for

Combat "V" for his service in the Marianas.[6][7][1]

He was ordered back to the United States in September 1944 and attached to the

Palau Islands. The regiment took part in the heavy fighting and upon Griebel's arrival, began with gradual withdrawal to Pavuvu, Russell Islands for rest and refit.[8][9]

Griebel was again tasked with the rebuilding of the regiment and after almost six months there, Fifth Marines embarked as the part of

Combat "V".[10][1][11]

Postwar service

Following the Okinawa campaign, Griebel assumed command of

2nd Marine Division
units. Griebel's command was later redesignated 2nd Service Group and he led that command until May 1948.

Griebel was subsequently ordered to New York City, where he assumed duty as Director, 3rd Marine Corps Reserve District. His duty included also inspection of reserve and recruitment units, and to make calls on governors and other public officials. He held that command until August 1, 1956, when he retired after 30 years of commissioned service. Griebel was subsequently advanced to the rank of brigadier general for having been specially commended in combat.

Brigadier general John H. Griebel died of heart failure on March 10, 1969, aged 67, at his apartment in Harrison, New York.[12]

Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Brigadier General Griebel:[10]

V
V
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
1st Row
Combat "V"
Combat "V"
2nd Row
Army Commendation Medal
 Navy Presidential Unit Citation with one star Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
3rd Row Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal China Service Medal American Defense Service Medal
4th Row
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four 3/16 inch service stars
World War II Victory Medal
 National Defense Service Medal

See also

Military offices
Preceded by Commanding Officer,
5th Marine Regiment

October 1, 1944 - June 23, 1945 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commanding Officer,
8th Marine Regiment

January 2, 1944 - April 9, 1944 		Succeeded by

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "John H. Griebel Papers – USMC Military History Division". USMC Military History Division. Archived from the original on 2013-08-01. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  2. ^ "A Brief history of the 4th Marines – USMC Military History Division" (PDF). USMC Military History Division. Retrieved 2017-12-26.
  3. ^ "Condition Red: Marine Defense Battalions in World War II – USMC Military History Division" (PDF). USMC Military History Division. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  4. ^ "Special Marine Units of World War II – USMC Military History Division" (PDF). USMC Military History Division. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  5. ^ "A Brief history of the 8th Marines – USMC Military History Division" (PDF). USMC Military History Division. Retrieved 2017-12-26.
  6. ^ "US Marine Corps in World War II – HyperWar (Saipan)". ibiblio.org. HyperWar Websites. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  7. ^ "US Marine Corps in World War II – HyperWar (Tinian)". ibiblio.org. HyperWar Websites. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  8. ^ "Changes of Duty - Marine Corps Chevron, 16 September 1944". historicperiodicals.princeton.edu. Princeton University Library Websites. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  9. ^ "Changes of Duty - Marine Corps Chevron, 4 November 1944". historicperiodicals.princeton.edu. Princeton University Library Websites. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  10. ^ a b "Valor awards for John H. Griebel". valor.militarytimes.com. Militarytimes Websites. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  11. ^ "US Marine Corps in World War II – HyperWar (Okinawa)". ibiblio.org. HyperWar Websites. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  12. ^ "GEN. JOHN H. GRIEBEL OF MARINE CORPS, 67". The New York Times. 11 March 1969. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
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