02/03/2025
The Institute of Oral History sends our condolences to the family of General Edward Greer, the last of the "Buffalo Soldier Generals" and advisor to many leaders. We had the honor of conducting an oral history with the General a few years ago. He was brilliant, kind, and generous. Please see his obituary below:
Trailblazing Black General Edward Greer Dies at 100
(El Paso, Tx. – Jan 29, 2025) Major General Edward Greer (retired, Army), 100, died peacefully in his El Paso home on Jan. 29, 2025. Born March 8, 1924, in Gary, W.Va., he was a pioneering figure in the U.S. Army and a trailblazer for African American servicemembers. His remarkable career spanned three major conflicts and represented a significant period of change in the military's history.
Military Career
Greer's military journey began in 1943 when he enlisted in the segregated U.S. Army during World War II. He served in the 777th Field Artillery Battalion, an all-Black unit, and rose to the rank of master sergeant by the war's end. After the war, he returned to college, was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1948, and went on to serve in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Breaking Barriers
In 1972, Greer became one of the first African American officers to be promoted to brigadier general in the U.S. Army. This promotion was part of a significant wave that included five Black officers, at a time when only four Black men had previously reached the Army's general officer ranks. (Greer was the last survivor of the five, which included recently deceased Lieutenant General Arthur Gregg, for which Fort Adams-Gregg, Virginia has been named.)
Greer's ascension to major general later that year further cemented his place as a pioneer for African Americans in the military. The pioneering efforts of Greer and others have led to thousands of African American men and women becoming general officers over the past fifty years.
Leadership and Service
Throughout his career, Greer demonstrated exceptional leadership and valor:
· In Korea, he earned the Silver Star for valor for calling artillery fire on his own position to enable an infantry company to withdraw safely during an enemy attack.
· In Vietnam, he served with distinction as deputy commander of XXIV Corps Artillery and later commanded the 108th Artillery Group.
· He held significant leadership positions, including deputy commanding general at Fort Leonard Wood and as the second in command of the entire U.S. Army Military Personnel Center (MILPERCEN).
Legacy and Impact
Greer's career trajectory from a segregated Army to becoming one of its highest-ranking Black officers exemplifies the progress made in U.S. military integration, diversity and inclusion. His achievements helped pave the way for future generations of servicemembers by:
· Demonstrating excellence in leadership roles previously unavailable to officers of color.
· Serving as a visible role model for aspiring service members.
· Contributing to the gradual transformation of the Army's leadership demographics.
Major General Greer's century-long life spans from the era of military segregation to a time of increasing diversity in the armed forces. His perseverance, skill, and dedication not only advanced his own career but also helped create opportunities for others to succeed in the military environment.
Military Honors
Most Notable: Silver Star, Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Distinguished Service Medal.
Post-Military Life
Upon retiring from the military in 1976, Greer and his wife Jewell relocated to El Paso, where he undertook a 30-year career in real estate. Active in community life, he served as chairman of the Officers Retiree Council for Fort Bliss and on the local boards American Cancer Society, Visiting Nurses Association, Association of U.S. Army, and the Association of El Paso Realtors.
Education
A lifelong advocate of higher education, General Greer was a graduate of West Virginia State College, where he was Polemarch of his Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. It was at a Kappa dance that he and his wife Jewell Means met. They married the day after both graduated, but only after attending a concert by the legendary Paul Robison and hearing Eleanor Roosevelt deliver their commencement address. Greer later earned a Master of Science in International Affairs from George Washington University.
Family
Greer grew up in Gary, W.Va., the son of coal miner and union organizer Walter Thomas Greer and wife Vesta Elaine Long. Greer's maternal grandfather was born into slavery, yet Greer and his two siblings all attended college just two generations later.
Greer is survived by his son Michael Edward Greer, MD (Steve Bryant and former wife Pamela Greer-Walker, MD) and his grandchildren Lisa Cobb, Alissa Maru (Anteneh), Vaun Greer (Cynthia) and Tia Greer, along with seven great-grandchildren Melia, Morgan, Maya, Zinzi, Clarke, Jude and AK. He was preceded in death by his wife of 73 years, Jewell Means Greer, his daughter Gail Sharon Lyle and son Kenneth Wayne Greer.
Memorial arrangements will be announced for El Paso and Washington, D.C.
CONTACT: Steve Bryant, 206-313-1588, [email protected]
Medium shot of a person in a military uniform
Photo General Greer, his son Dr. Michael Greer and son-in-law Steve Bryant, with IOH director Yolanda Leyva
