Photo By Julia Hart | Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Moore leaders, friends, and family attend a...... read more read more
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The Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Moore honored the legacy of a former U.S. Army Ranger and Defense Distinguished Service Medal recipient Feb. 22 by adding his name to its gate on Legacy Boulevard in Columbus, Ga.
Family and friends gathered to witness the memorialization, as Lt. Gen. David E. Grange Jr., a veteran of three wars who served as the post’s commanding general from 1979-1981, became the namesake of Access Control Point 2.
Maj. Gen. Curtis A. Buzzard, MCoE commanding general and Fort Moore senior commander, delivered commemorative remarks during the ceremony. The event also featured the MCoE Band and recognition of Grange's family in attendance. The ceremony culminated in the unveiling of the dedication sign for Grange Gate, the second of five access control points to be memorialized across Fort Moore.
“The Grange ACP is a gate to the community as much as it is a main thoroughfare into the installation,” Buzzard said. “It directly connects us to the city of Columbus, a community Lt. Gen. Grange cherished and invested in during his many years of living here … this creates yet another tie between our two great communities.”
“Grange, a veteran of 20 campaigns spanning three wars, exemplified unparalleled dedication and valor throughout his military career,” Buzzard said.
Grange enlisted in the U.S. Army in June 1942, serving as a parachute Infantryman in Europe during World War II and later participating in the Rome-Arno, Southern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe campaigns.
Following his wartime service, Grange was commissioned as a second lieutenant of Infantry in 1950, subsequently demonstrating his fortitude in the Korean War with the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment. Beginning in 1963, he embarked on multiple tours of duty in Vietnam as an Airborne and Ranger Infantry advisor to the Department of Defense's Research and Development Field Unit.
In 1967, Grange commanded the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, showcasing his prowess in combat leadership. Returning for his third tour to Vietnam in 1970, Grange commanded the 101st Support Command and the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, before serving as the Director of the Ranger Department, a forerunner of today’s Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade. Grange also held leadership roles in the 2nd Infantry Division and with the 6th U.S. Army.
“Grange stands as a paragon of courage, character, and commitment and will forever epitomize what it means to serve selflessly with a genuine sense of duty,” Buzzard said.
Retiring in June 1984 after a 41-year career, Grange amassed a remarkable array of awards and decorations, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, three Silver Stars, two Legions of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Soldiers Medal, the Purple Heart, and 38 other combat awards for valor and meritorious service. Notably, he earned the Combat Infantryman Badge (Third Award), the Master Parachutist Badge with three combat jump stars, and the prestigious Ranger Tab.
“It’s not just because of Lt. Gen. Grange’s leadership and heroism in combat that we remember him so well,” Buzzard said.
“As with the decision to name this post after Hal and Julia Moore due to their unwavering commitment to making Soldiers’ and families’ lives better, Lt. Gen. Grange is equally known for his dedication to the community, and the training of Soldiers … particularly Rangers.”
In 1992, the Ranger Hall of Fame inducted Grange for his unwavering commitment to duty and his significant contributions to the U.S. Army as a distinguished Ranger leader.
“It would take me another 41 years to cover all Lt. Gen. Grange’s accomplishments, the impacts he made to our force, and to describe just how much of a role model he remains to everyone who comes through this gate,” Buzzard said.
“Bottomline, he was a great Soldier and a leader of character. Establishing his name here as a daily reminder of his competence, character, and commitment will serve to inspire this community for generations to come.”
| Date Taken: | 03.01.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.20.2024 11:27 |
| Story ID: | 466619 |
| Location: | FORT MOORE, GA, US |
| Hometown: | FORT MOORE, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 41 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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