▁Navy ▁Comm end ation ▁Medal ). ▁ ▁" The ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Navy ▁takes ▁pleasure ▁in ▁comm ending ▁COL ON EL ▁J OH N ▁G RO FF , ▁UN IT ED ▁ST AT ES ▁MAR INE ▁C OR PS ▁for ▁service ▁as ▁set ▁forth ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁C IT ATION : ▁For ▁mer itor ious ▁service ▁while ▁attached ▁to ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁Base , ▁San ▁Diego , ▁California , ▁as ▁Command ing ▁Officer , ▁Rec ruit ▁Dep ot , ▁from ▁June ▁to ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁and ▁as ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff ▁to ▁the ▁Command ing ▁General ▁from ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁to ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁ ▁Colonel ▁Gro ff , ▁by ▁his ▁t ire less ▁efforts , ▁contributed ▁greatly ▁to ▁the ▁war ▁effort ▁by ▁his ▁super vision ▁of ▁the ▁highly ▁important ▁task ▁of ▁training ▁thousands ▁of ▁rec ruits . ▁ ▁As ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff , ▁by ▁his ▁superior ▁knowledge ▁of ▁administrative ▁affairs ▁and ▁dev otion ▁to ▁duty , ▁he ▁successfully ▁coordin ated ▁training ▁and ▁numerous ▁other ▁important ▁activities ▁on ▁this ▁large ▁base . ▁ ▁His ▁initi ative ▁and ▁out standing ▁performance ▁of ▁duty ▁throughout ▁this ▁period ▁have ▁been ▁in ▁keeping ▁with ▁the ▁highest ▁trad itions ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Naval ▁Service ." ▁ ▁Later ▁life ▁and ▁death ▁ ▁Following ▁his ▁ret irement ▁from ▁the ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁General ▁Gro ff ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁civil ian ▁for ▁the ▁Hugh es ▁A ircraft ▁Company ▁and ▁the ▁Douglas ▁A ircraft ▁Company ▁before