Editing George Grunert (section)

==World War II==
The [[Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor]] occurred shortly after Grunert reached the United States, and he was shuffled between a number of assignments that included command of the [[Corps Area|Sixth Service Command]] at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, serving as the ranking military officer in the Chicago area, and two administrative posts with [[Army Service Forces]] as Deputy Chief of Staff for Service Commands ([[Service of Supply]]) overseeing the nine United States-based supply and logistics commands (formerly corps areas), under General [[Brehon B. Somervell]].

In August 1943, Grunert was appointed deputy commander for both the [[Eastern Defense Command]], a continental defense command for the eastern United States, and [[First United States Army]] at [[Fort Jay]], [[Governors Island]] in New York City, taking the place of General [[Hugh Aloysius Drum|Hugh A. Drum]] upon his mandatory retirement at age 64 in October 1943 and being promoted to [[Lieutenant general (United States)|lieutenant general]] at the same time.

[[File:SC 190664 - Lt. Gen. George Grunert, Commanding General of the Eastern Defense Command, pins the medal of the Legion of Merit on Major General Daniel Van Voorhis, retired (50369672891).jpg|thumb|left|Lieutenant General George Grunert pins the [[Legion of Merit]] on Major General [[Daniel Van Voorhis]] at [[Fort Hayes]], [[Ohio]], May 1944.]]

Grunert held interim command over the First Army until January 1944 while Lieutenant General [[Omar Bradley]] completed assembling and staffing its new headquarters in England for the [[Normandy landings]]. Grunert continued command of Eastern Defense Command, which also assumed the duties of [[Central Defense Command]], and [[Corps area|Second Service Command]] for the New York area until his retirement in July 1945.