James A. Grimsley, Interview by Jack Bass, 2 October 2008
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- Title:
- James A. Grimsley, Interview by Jack Bass, 2 October 2008
- Date:
- 2008
- Interviewer:
- Bass, Jack;Bass, Jack
- Interviewee:
- Grimsley, James A. 1921-2013
- Description:
- Major General James Alexander Grimsley was born in 1921 in Florence, South Carolina. After graduating from The Citadel in 1942 he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army. He served for thirty-three years and finished his Army career as the Director of Security Assistance Plans and Policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Among his thirty-five major decorations are Two Silver Star medals for gallantry in Action; four Bronze Star medals for Valor; four Legion of Merit awards; and three Purple Heart medals. In September 1975, Grimsley accepted the position of Vice President of Administration and Finance at The Citadel and five years later was named the 16th President of the military college. Upon retiring in 1989, the Board of Visitors named him President Emeritus, a position held only by Generals Charles P. Summerall and Mark W. Clark. Grimsley, reflects on his decision to attend The Citadel and his combat experiences in Vietnam. He also discusses several of his major achievements as Citadel President. On transitioning from the Army to The Citadel, Grimsley observes that “it was made easier for me coming to The Citadel because it was a military college so there was a structure here that I understood. They just wore cadet uniforms and not army uniforms.” In an April 4-6, 2000 interview, a transcript of which is at the Citadel Archives and Museum, Grimsley detailed his active duty service during WWII.
- Collection Title:
- The Charleston Oral History Program
- Contributing Institution:
- The Citadel Archives & Museum
- Media Type:
- Oral Histories
- Note:
- This interview is a part of the "Citadel WWII Alumni History Project." With generous support from the Humanities Council of South Carolina (http://www.schumanities.org/), the Citadel Oral History Program collected thirty interviews with Citadel alumni regarding their experiences during WWII. Journalist and historian Jack Bass conducted the interviews during the Fall of 2008.They serve as a powerful testament to the veterans' experiences and their critical contributions to the war effort. The digital recordings and transcripts are part of The Citadel Oral History Program Collection at The Citadel Archives & Museum.
- Series:
- The Citadel in War and in Peace
- Sub-Series:
- World War II
- Personal or Corporate Subject:
- Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina
- Topical Subject:
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975, World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Pacific Area, and World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives
- S.C. County:
- Charleston County (S.C.)
- Language:
- English
- Shelving Locator:
- The Citadel Oral History Program--World War II Alumni Services 2009.13.05
- Date Digital:
- 2010-02-26
- Digitization Specifications:
- Mp3 derivative audio created with Audacity software. Archival masters are .wav files.
- Internet Media Type:
- audio/mpeg
- Copyright Status Statement:
- Digital resource copyright 2011, The Citadel Archives
- Admin ID:
- 220929
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