▁– ▁October ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 9 0 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁whose ▁military ▁career ▁sp anned ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁ ▁Gro ff ▁was ▁a ▁highly ▁decor ated ▁veter an ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁ear ning ▁the ▁Navy ▁Cross , ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Service ▁Cross , ▁Silver ▁Star , ▁and ▁Pur ple ▁Heart ▁med als . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁Ban ana ▁Wars ▁( in ▁Mexico , ▁the ▁Domin ican ▁Republic , ▁H ait i , ▁and ▁Nic ar agua ), ▁and ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 0 0 , ▁B G ▁Gro ff ▁was ▁the ▁oldest ▁surv iving ▁general ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁Marine ▁Corps . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁Gro ff ▁was ▁born ▁February ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁in ▁Sy rac use , ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁He ▁attended ▁public ▁school ▁in ▁Sy rac use ▁from ▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁and ▁in ▁West ▁Ch ester , ▁Pennsylvania ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 8 . ▁Prior ▁to ▁en list ing ▁in ▁the ▁Marine ▁Corps , ▁he ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁sail maker ▁in ▁Wil ming ton , ▁Del aware . ▁ ▁Early ▁career : ▁ ▁Mexico ▁and ▁H ait i ▁ ▁Gro ff ▁en list ed