Daily Press (Newport News, VA) - October 6, 1990
Deceased Name: MARINE CORPS BRIG. GEN. JOHN GROFF, 100
Brig. Gen. John Groff, 100, the oldest surviving general in the Marines Corps, died Tuesday at the Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside, Calif. Groff went from private to general in a 34-year career in the Marines. He enlisted in 1912 and was a gunnery sergeant at the World War I battle of Belleau Wood.
Wounded in the battle, he was awarded the Navy Cross, the Distinguised Service Medal and the Purple Heart. In 1921, Groff served with the United States peacekeeping force in Haiti. In 1938, he was named commander of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. He was made a brigadier general just before his retirement in 1946.
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Long Beach Press-Telegram (CA) - October 6, 1990
Deceased Name: OBITUARY: JOHN GROFF, 100, MARINE CORPS' OLDEST GENERAL
SAN DIEGO - A memorial service was held Friday for retired Brig. Gen. John Groff, known as ''the grand old man of the Marine Corps,'' who died of a heart attack. He was 100.
Groff, the Marine Corps' oldest general, was buried at Riverside National Cemetery following Friday's memorial at a northern San Diego County mortuary chapel.
A hero of the Battle of Belleau Wood in France during World War I, Groff died Tuesday at Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside, said Kathie Graler, the service's historian at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base.
Besides being the oldest surviving Marine general, Groff was the last member of the World War I Lodge in Oceanside, about 45 miles south of Long Beach.
A family friend, Lance ''Dutch'' Parker, said Groff was ''quite a chap and his combat record was one of high distinction.''
''We younger Marines who were close to him always called him 'Pop.' He was the grand old man of the Marine Corps,'' said Parker, a retired Marine chief warrant officer whose late father, David ''Whitey'' Parker, served with Groff.
Born in Syracuse, N.Y., in 1890, Groff began his career as a private with his enlistment in the Marines in 1912.
Groff is survived by two daughters, Mildred Ann Hanson of Bothell, Wash., and Pauline Ethel Ralston of Victorville, Calif.; one son, John Louis Groff of Poway, Calif.; 11 grandchildren; and eight grandchildren.
Another son, Goodwin, was killed in action during the Korean War while serving with the Marine Corps.
Deceased Name: MARINE CORPS BRIG. GEN. JOHN GROFF, 100
Brig. Gen. John Groff, 100, the oldest surviving general in the Marines Corps, died Tuesday at the Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside, Calif. Groff went from private to general in a 34-year career in the Marines. He enlisted in 1912 and was a gunnery sergeant at the World War I battle of Belleau Wood.
Wounded in the battle, he was awarded the Navy Cross, the Distinguised Service Medal and the Purple Heart. In 1921, Groff served with the United States peacekeeping force in Haiti. In 1938, he was named commander of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. He was made a brigadier general just before his retirement in 1946.
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Long Beach Press-Telegram (CA) - October 6, 1990
Deceased Name: OBITUARY: JOHN GROFF, 100, MARINE CORPS' OLDEST GENERAL
SAN DIEGO - A memorial service was held Friday for retired Brig. Gen. John Groff, known as ''the grand old man of the Marine Corps,'' who died of a heart attack. He was 100.
Groff, the Marine Corps' oldest general, was buried at Riverside National Cemetery following Friday's memorial at a northern San Diego County mortuary chapel.
A hero of the Battle of Belleau Wood in France during World War I, Groff died Tuesday at Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside, said Kathie Graler, the service's historian at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base.
Besides being the oldest surviving Marine general, Groff was the last member of the World War I Lodge in Oceanside, about 45 miles south of Long Beach.
A family friend, Lance ''Dutch'' Parker, said Groff was ''quite a chap and his combat record was one of high distinction.''
''We younger Marines who were close to him always called him 'Pop.' He was the grand old man of the Marine Corps,'' said Parker, a retired Marine chief warrant officer whose late father, David ''Whitey'' Parker, served with Groff.
Born in Syracuse, N.Y., in 1890, Groff began his career as a private with his enlistment in the Marines in 1912.
Groff is survived by two daughters, Mildred Ann Hanson of Bothell, Wash., and Pauline Ethel Ralston of Victorville, Calif.; one son, John Louis Groff of Poway, Calif.; 11 grandchildren; and eight grandchildren.
Another son, Goodwin, was killed in action during the Korean War while serving with the Marine Corps.
Daily Press (Newport News, VA) - October 6, 1990
Deceased Name: MARINE CORPS BRIG. GEN. JOHN GROFF, 100
Brig. Gen. John Groff, 100, the oldest surviving general in the Marines Corps, died Tuesday at the Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside, Calif. Groff went from private to general in a 34-year career in the Marines. He enlisted in 1912 and was a gunnery sergeant at the World War I battle of Belleau Wood.
Wounded in the battle, he was awarded the Navy Cross, the Distinguised Service Medal and the Purple Heart. In 1921, Groff served with the United States peacekeeping force in Haiti. In 1938, he was named commander of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. He was made a brigadier general just before his retirement in 1946.
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Long Beach Press-Telegram (CA) - October 6, 1990
Deceased Name: OBITUARY: JOHN GROFF, 100, MARINE CORPS' OLDEST GENERAL
SAN DIEGO - A memorial service was held Friday for retired Brig. Gen. John Groff, known as ''the grand old man of the Marine Corps,'' who died of a heart attack. He was 100.
Groff, the Marine Corps' oldest general, was buried at Riverside National Cemetery following Friday's memorial at a northern San Diego County mortuary chapel.
A hero of the Battle of Belleau Wood in France during World War I, Groff died Tuesday at Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside, said Kathie Graler, the service's historian at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base.
Besides being the oldest surviving Marine general, Groff was the last member of the World War I Lodge in Oceanside, about 45 miles south of Long Beach.
A family friend, Lance ''Dutch'' Parker, said Groff was ''quite a chap and his combat record was one of high distinction.''
''We younger Marines who were close to him always called him 'Pop.' He was the grand old man of the Marine Corps,'' said Parker, a retired Marine chief warrant officer whose late father, David ''Whitey'' Parker, served with Groff.
Born in Syracuse, N.Y., in 1890, Groff began his career as a private with his enlistment in the Marines in 1912.
Groff is survived by two daughters, Mildred Ann Hanson of Bothell, Wash., and Pauline Ethel Ralston of Victorville, Calif.; one son, John Louis Groff of Poway, Calif.; 11 grandchildren; and eight grandchildren.
Another son, Goodwin, was killed in action during the Korean War while serving with the Marine Corps.
Deceased Name: MARINE CORPS BRIG. GEN. JOHN GROFF, 100
Brig. Gen. John Groff, 100, the oldest surviving general in the Marines Corps, died Tuesday at the Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside, Calif. Groff went from private to general in a 34-year career in the Marines. He enlisted in 1912 and was a gunnery sergeant at the World War I battle of Belleau Wood.
Wounded in the battle, he was awarded the Navy Cross, the Distinguised Service Medal and the Purple Heart. In 1921, Groff served with the United States peacekeeping force in Haiti. In 1938, he was named commander of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. He was made a brigadier general just before his retirement in 1946.
===================================
Long Beach Press-Telegram (CA) - October 6, 1990
Deceased Name: OBITUARY: JOHN GROFF, 100, MARINE CORPS' OLDEST GENERAL
SAN DIEGO - A memorial service was held Friday for retired Brig. Gen. John Groff, known as ''the grand old man of the Marine Corps,'' who died of a heart attack. He was 100.
Groff, the Marine Corps' oldest general, was buried at Riverside National Cemetery following Friday's memorial at a northern San Diego County mortuary chapel.
A hero of the Battle of Belleau Wood in France during World War I, Groff died Tuesday at Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside, said Kathie Graler, the service's historian at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base.
Besides being the oldest surviving Marine general, Groff was the last member of the World War I Lodge in Oceanside, about 45 miles south of Long Beach.
A family friend, Lance ''Dutch'' Parker, said Groff was ''quite a chap and his combat record was one of high distinction.''
''We younger Marines who were close to him always called him 'Pop.' He was the grand old man of the Marine Corps,'' said Parker, a retired Marine chief warrant officer whose late father, David ''Whitey'' Parker, served with Groff.
Born in Syracuse, N.Y., in 1890, Groff began his career as a private with his enlistment in the Marines in 1912.
Groff is survived by two daughters, Mildred Ann Hanson of Bothell, Wash., and Pauline Ethel Ralston of Victorville, Calif.; one son, John Louis Groff of Poway, Calif.; 11 grandchildren; and eight grandchildren.
Another son, Goodwin, was killed in action during the Korean War while serving with the Marine Corps.
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