George Catlett Marshall was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, on 31 December 1880 *** graduated from Virginia Military Institute, 1901 *** married Elizabeth Carter Cole, 1902 (deceased 1927) *** was commissioned a second lieutenant, February 1902, and served with the 30th Infantry in the Philippines, 1902-1903, and at Fort Reno, 1903-1906 *** was promoted to first lieutenant, March 1907 *** at Fort Leavenworth, graduated from the Infantry and Cavalry School (1907) and was a student (1908) and instructor (1908- 1910) at the Staff College *** was inspector-instructor of the Massachusetts National Guard, 1911-1912, then served with the 4th Infantry at Forts Logan H. Roots and Crocket, and the 13th Infantry in the Philippines, 1913-1916 *** was promoted to captain, July 1917, and then to temporary major, August 1917, lieutenant colonel, January 1918, and colonel, August 1918 *** served with the American Expeditionary Forces in France as operations officer of the 1st Division and the First Army, and chief of staff of the VIII Corps, 1917-1918, participating in the Cantigny, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne operations *** was aide to General John J. Pershing, 1919-1924 *** was promoted to permanent major, July 1920, and lieutenant colonel, August 1923 *** commanded the 15th Infantry in China, 1924-1927 *** was instructor at the Army War College, 1927, and assistant commandant of the Infantry School at Fort Benning, 1927-1932 *** married Katherine Boyce Tupper Brown, 1930 *** was promoted to colonel and placed in command of the 8th Infantry at Fort Screven, September 1933 *** was senior instructor of the Illinois National Guard, 1933- 1936 *** was promoted to brigadier general, October 1936, and was commander of the 5th Infantry Brigade, 1936-1938 *** was head of the War Plans Division, General Staff, 1938 *** was deputy chief of staff, 1938-1939, and acting chief, July-September 1939 *** was promoted to major general and immediately full general, September 1939 *** was chief of staff of the United States Army, 1 September 1939-18 November 1945 *** centralized the professional leadership of the Army in the chief of staff's office *** exercised control over mobilization, staff planning, industrial conversion, and personnel requirements *** streamlined administration and tactical organization *** mastered grand strategy and was the principal American military architect of Allied victory *** was promoted to temporary grade of General of the Army, December 1944 (made permanent retroactively in April 1946) *** was special representative of the president to China, 1945- 1947 *** retired from active service February 1947 *** was secretary of state, 21 January 1947-21 January 1949 *** was the architect of the Marshall Plan to aid European nations, April 1948 *** was restored to the active list, March 1949 *** was president of the American Red Cross, 1949-1950 *** was secretary of defense, 12 September 1950-12 September 1951 *** received the Nobel Peace Prize for the Marshall Plan, 1953 *** was chairman of the American Battle Monuments Commission, 1949-1959 *** died in Washington, D.C., on 16 October 1959. From: COMMANDING GENERALS AND CHIEFS OF STAFF, 1775-1982, William Gardner Bell, Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, D.C., 1983 Transcribed and edited by: Larry W. Jewell jewell@mace.cc.purdue.edu