David E. Grange Jr. was a U.S. Army Ranger and three-star general for whom the annual Best Ranger Competition is named.
- Died: September 11, 2022 (Who else died on September 11?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 97.
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Three wars
Grange joined the Army in 1943, serving in Europe during World War II. He served as a paratrooper, and rather than returning to civilian life after the war, he chose a career in the Army. He was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry in 1950 and went on to serve in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He made combat jumps in both World War II and Korea, then served as an Army staff officer and a Ranger instructor. After three tours in Vietnam, Grange continued to rise in the ranks until his last assignment, Commanding General of the Sixth U.S. Army. He retired in 1984 as a Lieutenant General. In 1982, the David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition was founded in his honor; the 62-hour competition includes runs, marches, and shooting. Grange’s decorations included the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, and Legion of Merit. In 2016, he was named honorary Sergeant Major of the Army for his lifelong support and commitment, and he was an inaugural member of the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame.
Grange on making the Army his career
“When the war was over, I wanted to stay in the Army. I wanted to stay with those kinds of people because they were such wonderful folks to be around.” —from a 2016 speech at the Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition
Tributes to David E. Grange Jr.
Full obituary: Military Times
