Evening star., 1940-10-11
Gen. J. N. GreeIy Named Head
of Forces to Protect Capital
Son Of Explorer
Succeeds Gen.
Devers in Post

signed by the War Department to-
day to command the Washington
Provisional Brigade, which COM
bines all the garrison forces for the
protection of the National Capital.
A native of this city and a son
of the late Gen. Adolphus w. Gree
ly, the famous Arctic explorer, Gen.
Greely succeeds to the post relln-
ouished yesterday by Maj. Gen.
Jacob L. Devers, who had been
assigned to command the 9Th Dlvl-
sion at Fort Bragg, N. c. Gen.
Devers had been on temporary duty
here with the local brigade since
July II, having previously been
chief of staff in the Panama Canal
Zone.
The assignment of Gen. Greely
to this increasingly important post
brings to its active command an
officer who has had not only a dis
tinguished World War record but
also a wide experience in dealing
with departmental matters gained
by two previous tours OF duty here
since the last war.
Served in Texas.
His last post of active duty in this
country was at Fort Sam Houston,
Texas, where he commanded the
18th Field Artillery until May 3,
1899. when he was ordered to Spain
as Military Attache of the American
Embassy. He remained on duty
there until recently when he was
ordered to Washington for assign
ment eventually to his present COM
mand. Since his return here, he was
on duty in the Office of the assistant
chief of staff. G-2.
Gen. Greely's assignment was one
of the orders affecting eight general
officers who pass on to important
commands in the rapidly expanding
land forces. Brig. Gen. James P.
Marley, one of these officers, at pres
ent serving in the Office OF the in
spector general here, was assigned
to the 9th Division at Fort Jackson,
S. c.
The Washington Provisional Bri-
gade, organized September II, 1886,
was preceded here by the 18th In
fantry Brigade.
1t now embraces the 18th In
fantry, stationed at Arlington. Va;
the Sd Cavalry and 18th Field Ar
tillery, at Fort Myer, Va, and troop
of the 10th Negro Cavalry which
is now attached to the Sd Cavalry.
Tho ooInlIortorc CnrorNonu
Washington is also attached to the
Provisional Brigade.
Has Official Duties.
The brigade not only serves as
"Washingtons own garrison" but is
also used in connection with the
official reception and entertain
ment of distinguished visitors TO
Washington and assumes RESPONSE
bility in connection with formal
parades and assemblies here.
Born in Washington June 6, 1885,
Gen. Greely spent his youth here
and graduated from Yale University
with an A. B. degree In 1906. Fol-
lowing in his fathers footsteps, he
WI SOllulllOSlOIlCQ d SSSOIlu uCu-
tenant of Field Artillery June 4,
1908. He was promoted to his pre-
sent rank of brigadier general on
June last.
Gen. Greely saw his first combat
duty as member of the American
Expeditionary Force sent to Vera
Cruz in 1914. He was then with the
4th Field Artillery. After this Mexi-
can service, he was ordered to
Washington for duty in the Office
of the chief signal officer for a year.
On duty with the 7th Field Artil-
lery in Texas when the United
States entered the World War, Gen.
Greely sailed with his regiment for
France on July %, 1917. He was
promoted to temporary rank of
colonel before the armistice.
Won Citation.
A great deal of Gen. Greely's
A. E. F. service was with the 1st
Division, with which he served as
assistant and chief of staff. He
was awarded the Distinguished
Service Medal for exceptional staff
duties in operations at Cantigny,
scissors, st. Mihiel and finally in
the Argonne-Meuse offensive.
He returned to this country July
Z, 1919, and was placed on duty in
the office of the chief of the Militia
Bureau here, later with the War
Plans Division at the War Depart
ment and then with the Operations
and Training Division until the
summer of 1924
He returned here later in 1926
to serve with the war plans di-
vision until July l, 1880. During
this tour of duty, Gen. Greely was
placed on detached service with
the State Department as military
adviser to the American delegation
to the preparatory commission of
the disarmament conference in &C.
neva from March to April II,
1923, and again from March 80 to
July %, 1929.
After this service, he attended
the Command and General Staff
School at Fort Leavenworth, Kans.,
and upon graduation in 1882, was
ordered to Hawaiian duty. Upon
his return from Hawaii, Gen. Greely
attended the Army War College,
graduating in 1886, and again was
assigned to duty with the war plans
division here for ahoIIt q wear