REF ID: A699~· 

Mrs. A. J. McGra.11 

179 Acorn Street 

Springfield, Jlaasachusetts 

Dear Ill's. McGra11: 

29 November 1945 

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I hope 7ou will forgive 111¥ tardiness in repl71Dg : 1 ', 

to 7our letter or last llla.7. Sho~tlJ' thereafter I vent 

to Europe and vas gone tor several months. Pressure or 

official business bas, of course. kept me occupied, but 

I bave_obta1ned the necessar7 data and have tilled out 

the form tor JOU to send to Harvard. I have kept a cop7 though so that later on I can vr1te the narrative b1ographf vhich I shall be ver7 S:).ad to dQ. 

I am also retUl'DiDg two letters addressed to 7ou 

in connection with the foregoing. 

I I hope tbat my letter finds 7ou much improved . i 

in spirits and in health. Vitb cordial greetings, I am, · : 

S1ncerel7 7ours, 

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William F. Friedman ' I \ 

2 Incloau~ea: 

2 letters. · 

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@'pproved for Release bv NSA on 07-15-2014 pursuant to E.O. 1352\3 

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• REF ID: A69993 .•. 

HARVARD HONOR ROLL 

Name: A. John McGrail 

Years of enrolment and degrees: 1909 - 1913 A.B~. magna cum laude 1913 

Ph. D. - Catholic University of America 1916 

Occupation in civil life Research chemist 

Last employer or prpf~ssional affili~tion before service: Professor 

of chemistry, Providence College, Providence., R. I. 

Date and place of entry into military service: 

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2g June ~918, Washington, D. C.\ 

11111tary Intelligence Div1eion. Bational Ar'tlrf. , 

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,r 

r 

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Branch of 

Service 

mink on 

Enrolment P1rst Lieutenant 0124'28 

Promotions, transfers; . Honorabl7'd1scbarged 28 October 1919J 

appoint•d Captain, Quartermaster Reaerve,.10 Januar7 1920J tra~terred to 

M111tal'J' Intelligence Reserve 4 June 1920; transterred to Signal Reserve 

21 Jlarch 1930; Major, Signal Reserv~ 10 Ma7 19411 called to active dut7 

25 May 1941J promoted to Lieut •. Colonel, AUS, l February 1942, which 

grade he held until his death, 'O April 1945. t . ~ 

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. 'Lesion ot Merit (poethumou~) 8"-.arded 

on 9 August 1945, "tor exceptionall~ meritorious conduct in the -per- tor~ce ot outetanding services" during World War II. Letter~ ot 

commendation tor apec1r1c important researches or h1ghl7 aecre• nature 

in connection v1th intelligence work, details ot vhich ca~ot· be given at this time. · 

t : 

, J 1. 

It is IDJ' belief that Colonel HcGrail's untimel7 death is iii part attributable to bis zeal and excessive devotion to arduous ~ut7 ovEr 

a period ot ro1119 years1 a tour ot temporar7 dut7 in the J'lro~et.n '!'heater 

1n the winter ot 1944-45, under verr 41ft1cult conditions, ab reduced 

his ph7s1~1 vigor that he succumbed. to a 11udden· 111ne~s...... i ·; 

"ltt\"lt°" UA 't ~ ... _ --- ·· -

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Mr. w1111am P. Priedlqan, 
f/J! REF ID:A6999. -• 

179 Acorn Street 

Springfield, Mass. 

May 23, 1945 

Dear Colonel Friedman, 

I want you to have THE AM~RICAN BLACK 

CHAMBER to keep for yourself to do with as 

you like. 

The future continues to look unbearably dark and empty without the one thing for 

which I lived. How does one find a pattern for climbing up out of despair? 

I enclose a communication from the 

secretary of John's class in Harvard. ~ay 

l have it back? You see there is no hurry about this at all and I want you to do it 

only_ if you have the time and care to. 

Please remember me to Mrs. Friedman. 

Sincerely 

~ 

yours, 

7)1y/J/l-~ 

Mrs. John McGrail 
• REF ID: A69993 e 

GENERAL ORDERS ~ 

NO. 65 ~ 

GO 65 

WAR DEPARTMENT 

Washington 25, D. c., 9 August 1945 

* * * * * * 

III---LEGION OF MERIT.--By direction ·of the President, 

under the provisions of the actaf Congress approved 20 July 1942 (sec. III, WD, Bul. 40, 1942) and Execut.1ve Order 9260, 

29 October 1942 (sec. I, WD, Bul. 54, 1942), the Legion of 

Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct.in the performance of outstanding services during the period indicated was awarded 

posthumously· by the War Department to the foll~ving-named 

officer: 

Lieutenant Colonel Aloysius J. McGrail, Pl24328, Signal Corps, Army of the United States. May 1941 to April 1945. 

* * * * * * 

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: 

OFFICIAL: 

EDWARD F. WITSELL 

Major General 

G. C. MARSHALL 

Chief of Staff 

Acting The Adjutant General 
....:. .. _ .. -~ • REF ID:A69993e 

t.. 

1st Ind MF.E/ksf/elg/1508 

WD, AGO, Wash 25, DC, 1 Aug 1945 

TO: Chief Signal Officer, Room 3C340 The Pentagon, Wash'25, DC 

Attention: SPSIS-4 

1. The records of this office show that Aloysius John ~cGrail was 

appointed First Lieutenant, Military Intelligence Department, National 

Army, 22 June 191S; accepted 22 June 1918; honorably discharged 28 Oct 

1919, by -reason of demobilization. 

2. He was appointed Capt, Quartermaster Section Reserve, 10 Jan 

1920; accepted 2 Jan 1920; asgd serial number 0124328; transferred to Military Intelligence Reserve, 4 June 1920; r~appointed_lo J..s.n_l925; accepted 

10 Jan 1925; reappointed 10 Jan 193.D; accepted 10 Jan 1930; appointed 

Capt, Sig ~orps Res, 21 MB'r_l93P;~accepted 5 May 1930; transrerred~Sig_ 

~$~a_~i:..Y-e..,._25 May 19...3.2.; reappointed 21 March 19]5; accepted 21 March 

1935; reappointea 2t1.fa°rch 1940; accepted 21 March 1940; promoted to Maj, 

Sig Corps Reserve 10 May 1941; accepted 16 May 1941; promoted to Lt Col, 

AUS, 1 Feb 1942; accepted 27 Feb 1942; and was a Lt Col, AUS, 30 Apr 1945, 

the date' of his death in -Arlington Officers Club Quarters, Arlington, Va. 

J. He had the following periods of active duty as a commissioned 

officer: From 5 May 1929 to 18 May 1929; 12 June 1932 to 25 June 1932; 

22 Jan 1934 to 4 Feb 1934; 5 Apr 1936 to 18 Apr lg36; 11 June 1939 to ~4 

June 1939; 15 Sept 1940·to 28 ~ept 1940; and from 25 May 1941 to 30 Apr 

1945. - J 

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF.WAR: 

er al ~---, 
SPSIS-4 

REF ID: A69993 e 

HEADQUARTERS, ARMY SERVICE FORCES 

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER 

WASHINGTON 25, D. C. 

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28 June 1945 

SUBJECT: World War I Service Record of Aloysius John McGrail, 0-124328 

TO: The Adjutant General 

Room 1503, Munitions Building 

Washington 25, D. c. 

ATTENTION: Otticers' Record Section 

It is requested that the following information regarding Lt. Colonel 

Aloysius John McGrail, 0-1243281 deceased, be forwarded the Signal 

Security Branch, OCSig01 Room .30 3401 The Pentagon, Washington 251 D.C. 

Attention: SPSIS-4: 

_,} 

' a. Date and rank of first commission in World War I and of 

demobilization. 

b. Branch of Service. 

c. Chronological history of all assignments. 

d. Date of' first commission in Reserve Corps and subsequent 

promotions. 

FOR THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER: 

Colonel, Signa 

1 Security Bra 
• REF ID:A69993 ' 

ALOYSIUS JOHN McGRAIL,0124.3281 Signal Corps 

Captain Aloysius J. McGrail(Reserve Corps) entered on extended active 

duty 25 May 1941 as a Major. 

Promoted to Lt.. Colonel 1 February 1942 

Assignments: 

./ OCSIGO - Signal Intelligence Service: 28 May 1941 - .30 June 1942 

Signal Security Agency, Chief; Operational Division: 1 July 1942 - .31 Dec 1942 

Signal Security Agency: 1 January 1943 to 29 February 194.3 

Signal Security Agency - Chief, La.borabory Branch: 1 Feb 194.3 to .30 

April 1945 

Deceased 30 April 1945. / 
Colonel Wm. F. Friedman 

3932 ~ilitary Road 

Wa.shington D.C. 

Dear Col. Friedman, 

REF ID:A691;, 

179 Acorn Street 

Springfield, Massachusetts 

May" 12, 1945 

First let me thank you and Mrs. Friedman for your 

great kindness to me last week. I truly appreciated 1t. 

Harvard sent me this form which I started to fill 

in. Realizing how little I know about John's war record I 

gave up. It occurs to me that only you can do it in a way 

that will be a credit to him. I think they mean it to be 

a record of the first world war as well as the second. 

I w~s thinking of such details as his connection with the 

embassy in Paris - his assignment to the Peace Conference. 

They love those things down in Cambridge. His two trips 

overseas in this war would add interest too. Is it permissible 

to mention that much of his work must go unreported? 

You can see tha:t I would not do it well at all. 
REF ID:A69993fl 

While you are making these notes would you care to keep a 

copy so that you could put it 1n narrative form for the next 

year book which will come out in a year or two. That is the 

way they handle the obituaries. There is not the slightest need for hurry on that form. 

I wish we four might have met under happier circumstanceswhat pleasant times we might have had. 

I have not yet returned to work - its very hard to put the pieces together. I ·shall always remember you gratefully as 

two people who helped me get through the darkest days of my life. 

Sine er el y yours, 
' -d:._. DRAFT 

• REF ID : A6 g2g .vember 1945 

Aloysius John McGrail was born • ------ He attended 

Harvard University from 1909 until 1913. In 1916 he received 

his Doctor of Philosophy degree from Catholic University of 

America. On June 22, 1918, he was appointed First Lieutenant, 

Military Intelligence Department, National Army. He was 

honorably discharged October 28, 1919 by reason of demobilization. 

On January 10, 1920, he was appointed Captain, Quartermaster 

Section Reserve; and he was transferred to Military Intelligence 

Reserve on June 4, 1920. On March 21, 1930, he was appointed 

Captain, Signal Corps Reserve. He was a reserve officer with 

the Signal Corps when he was called to active duty on May 25, 

1941 in the grade of Major. On February 1, 1942 he was promoted 

to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. 

Prior to entering upon active duty in 1941, he was employed 

as Professor of Chemistry at Providence College, Providence, 

,,t,. •• 1<" 

Rhode Island. Lieutenant Colonel McGrail~ara..:--on April 30, 1945J 

at Arlington, Virginia. The Legion of Merit was awarded posthumously by the War Department on August 9, 1945. 
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Mt•s:. Florer..ee 11 •. McGrail 

179 Acorn Street 

Sp:ringt1ell, Mss3L•chueotte · 

Dea~ Jhas.·Mc~r~ilt ·.· I ',I 

!n aecerdenoe vtth our conyer~at1on 1 I &$ked 

OeptfJ.iri Carnell to let m• see Jo~.n•ir copf. ot 'Iardle1•a took~ 'fhe ~mttr1cer.. Bl~ ck ChD.nb~r t S.i;t. order to e.scerta1n· 

!t j_t contained notee wh1ch YO\!ld •Jee 1t dea1ratle to 

keep the book here~ Captair.. Cerri.ell turr.ed over the.cow 

t.o l!Le ~-n<.\ I !ind t.he.t .1t "-oee r.ot contain en7 notes •. · I would~ · thererore, beo gle.d. to kr..C\' :Pl'.at d.1epoei t1cn you would like tC'.:t'Etlre or this book. iie would,, ot course,, 

wel.co1?1e. tiav:!.ng ! t ir.. tt-.e lit-rarr here .. · er I .. would. ~e very he.p:p;, to he.Ve it e.e· e. memer.to heca\°i.e.e· _it -has his. auto:--

£'.raph 11:' :ft.. l-1'.'.e.te,,e-r J'OU~ dee1r:_1or., plea11e· let me ktlow 

at J0\\1' conv,.,nience, · · ' . . I.hope tbet y~u have recovered trom the ehock-ot 

Jol°'.n 1-a ·eridde:r. peestcg and that ,-cu "-"111 ~e teel:t.r~ better 

·1n a ~hort t1m&. I I 0 

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Both Mre. Friedman e..nd I vere ~er7 glad that ve 

celled on you and had .. _the· cpportunit7 ot being Vith 7ou 

tor ao .. n7 minutea during the time·ot 7our greatest trial. It there ie •n7thing·I can do dovn here, please do not hesitate to call upon·me. . . . .• 

· V~!7·11ncere17 7oura, o ' I • 

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·:·. Wiill~m .. P! Pri~dmn 

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