John Groff John Groff ( February 14 , 1890 - October 2 , 1990 ) was a Brigadier General in the United States Marine Corps whose military career spanned from 1912 - 1946 . Groff was a highly decorated veteran of World War I , earning the Navy Cross , Distinguished Service Cross , Silver Star , and Purple Heart medals . He also participated in the Banana Wars ( in Mexico , the Dominican Republic , Haiti , and Nicaragua ) , and World War II . At the time of his death in 1990 at age 100 , BG Groff was the oldest surviving general officer in the Marine Corps . Early life . Groff was born February 14 , 1890 in Syracuse , New York . He attended public school in Syracuse from 1897 to 1904 and in West Chester , Pennsylvania from 1905 to 1908 . Prior to enlisting in the Marine Corps , he worked as a sailmaker in Wilmington , Delaware . Early career : Mexico and Haiti . Groff enlisted in the Marine Corps on October 9 , 1912 at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . Following initial training and a brief two - month stint at Camp Meyer , Cuba in 1913 , Groff was assigned to the 46th Company , Special Service Squadron , which sailed for Mexico in April 1914 on board the USS New York ( BB - 34 ) . While the " New York " arrived too late to take part in the actual Battle of Veracruz , Groff participated in the United States occupation of Veracruz from May - June 1914 . He spent most of the remainder of the year as a gun striker with the 46th Co . , 5th Marine Regiment on board the USS Hancock ( AP - 3 ) near Santo Domingo City , Dominican Republic . In 1915 , Haiti was rocked by revolutions , which had begun the previous year . By then , Groff was a member of the Marine Detachment on board the USS Washington ( ACR - 11 ) . He participated in the initial landing force engagement at Port - au - Prince on July 28 , 1915 . For the remainder of the year , Groff was temporarily assigned to the 2nd Battalion , 2nd Marine Regiment for garrison and occupation duty in the city . Groff , then a Corporal , returned to the United States in early 1916 , where he became a plankowner on the USS Oklahoma ( BB - 37 ) . World War I . At the outbreak of WWI , Groff ' s experience in the Banana Wars led to his rapid promotion from Corporal to Sergeant and then Gunnery Sergeant . He sailed for France as a member of the 83rd Company , 6th Marine Regiment , which was part of the 2nd Division , American Expeditionary Force . Groff was wounded in action ( minor gunshot ) and was cited for gallantry on multiple occasions during the Battle of Belleau Wood in June 1918 . For his actions , he was awarded the Navy Cross , Distinguished Service Cross , and Silver Star citation . As the result of his heroics , Groff also received a battlefield promotion to 2nd Lieutenant in July 1918 . After being commissioned as an officer , he was subsequently assigned to the 97th Company , 6th Marines , where he remained until the end of the war . His official WWI Victory Medal campaign credits include Aisne , Aisne - Marne , Meuse - Argonne , and Defensive Sector . Following the cessation of hostilities in November 1918 , Groff stayed in Germany until April 1919 as part of the United States Third Army ' s occupation forces . Navy Cross citation . " The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Gunnery Sergeant John Groff , United States Marine Corps , for extraordinary heroism while serving in the 83d Company , Sixth Regiment ( Marines ) , 2d Division , A . E . F . in action in the Bois - de - Belleau , France on 6 June 1918 . While out with a patrol to obtain information essential to his commander , Gunnery Sergeant Groff was attacked by a German patrol of superior numbers . With six men he attacked the enemy , inflicted heavy losses upon them , and drove them back into the German lines . " Distinguished Service Cross citation . " The President of the United States of America , authorized by Act of Congress , July 19 , 1918 , takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Gunnery Sergeant John Groff , United States Marine Corps , for extraordinary heroism while serving in the Eighty - Third Company , Sixth Regiment ( Marines ) , 2d Division , A . E . F . in action in the Bois - de - Belleau , France , on 6 June 1918 . While out with a patrol to obtain information essential to his commander , Gunnery Sergeant Groff was attacked by a German patrol of superior numbers . With six men he attacked the enemy , inflicted heavy losses upon them , and drove them back into the German lines . " Award authorized by War Department , General Orders Number 110 ( 1918 ) . Silver Star citation . " By direction of the President , under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9 , 1918 ( Bulletin Number 43 , War Department , 1918 ) , Gunnery Sergeant John Groff , United States Marine Corps , is cited by the Commanding General , SECOND Division , American Expeditionary Forces , for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him . Gunnery Sergeant Groff distinguished himself while serving with the 83d Company , Sixth Regiment ( Marines ) , 2d Division , American Expeditionary Forces at Chateau - Thierry , France , 6 June - 10 July 1918 . " Inter - war years . After WWI , Groff was discharged from the Marine Corps on September 22 , 1919 . He rejoined the Marine Corps in April 1921 and accepted a permanent commission as a 1st Lieutenant . Shortly thereafter , he was promoted to Captain on July 25 , 1921 and assigned to Headquarters Company , 10th Marine Regiment , where he served as the Signal Officer and HQ Company Commander . In March 1924 , Groff returned to Haiti as the commanding officer of the 148th Company , 8th Marine Regiment , 1st Brigade . He remained in and around Port - au - Prince until February 1926 , serving in various units , including Post Headquarters and 36th Company , 1st Brigade , and Headquarters and Headquarters Company , 2nd Marine Regiment . Upon returning to the United States in March 1926 , Captain Groff was assigned to Headquarters Company , 5th Marine Regiment in Quantico , Virginia . When the 5th Marines deployed to Nicaragua in January 1927 , Groff served as Battalion Executive Officer until July 1927 . For his service in Nicaragua , Groff received an official Commendation from the Commanding General , 2nd Brigade , USMC . Groff served at the Marine Barracks , Lakehurst Naval Air Station , New Jersey from August 1927 - May 1929 . In July 1929 , he returned to Port - au - Prince , Haiti as the Officer - in - Charge Naval Radio Station and Signal Officer of the Brigade Signal Company , 1st Brigade , a duty he retained until May 1931 . After serving several months at the Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington , D . C . and at the Army Quartermaster Subsistence School in Chicago , Illinois , Groff was assigned as the Post Communications Officer , 1st Signal Company , Marine Barracks , at Quantico , Virginia in October 1932 . He served in that capacity until August 1936 . In July 1937 , Groff , then a Major , was transferred to Headquarters Company , Fleet Marine Force , Marine Barracks , San Diego , California , where he served as the Fleet Communication Officer until May 1939 . World War II . Despite requesting overseas duty , Groff remained in the United States for the duration of WWII . In June 1939 , he took command of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego , CA . Additional duties included being the Officer - in - Charge of Drills and Instructions . While the commanding officer of the Recruit Depot , Groff innovated new techniques for improving the efficiency and morale of his new recruits . In October 1939 , Groff originated an " Honor Man " plan to promote competition among recruits . Each platoon had one squad leader selected as demonstrating leadership and cooperation . The most competent recruit in each platoon was awarded a special badge . Likewise , in 1941 , he experimented with organizing platoons based on recruits ' blood types to potentially facilitate blood transfusions at advanced dressing stations . From December 1944 to November 1945 , Groff served as Chief of Staff assigned to Headquarters Company , Base Headquarters Battalion , Marine Corps Base , San Diego . Colonel Groff was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General on March 1 , 1946 and retired shortly thereafter . Navy Commendation citation . For his service during WWII , Groff was awarded the Navy Commendation Ribbon ( later Navy Commendation Medal ) . " The Secretary of the Navy takes pleasure in commending COLONEL JOHN GROFF , UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS for service as set forth in the following CITATION : For meritorious service while attached to Marine Corps Base , San Diego , California , as Commanding Officer , Recruit Depot , from June to December 1944 , and as Chief of Staff to the Commanding General from December 1944 to November 1945 . Colonel Groff , by his tireless efforts , contributed greatly to the war effort by his supervision of the highly important task of training thousands of recruits . As Chief of Staff , by his superior knowledge of administrative affairs and devotion to duty , he successfully coordinated training and numerous other important activities on this large base . His initiative and outstanding performance of duty throughout this period have been in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service . " Later life and death . Following his retirement from the Marine Corps in 1946 , General Groff worked as a civilian for the Hughes Aircraft Company and the Douglas Aircraft Company before finally retiring in 1953 . Groff died of a heart attack in Oceanside , California on October 2 , 1990 at the age of 100 . He is interred at Riverside National Cemetery . " U . S . Marine Corps Muster Rolls , 1893 - 1958 " ; ( National Archives Microfilm Publication T977 , 460 rolls ) ; Records of the U . S . Marine Corps , Record Group 127 ; National Archives , Washington , D . C . ; and John Groff ' s U . S . Marine Corps Service Record