Community 'saddened by the loss of a great American' Ret. Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg

FORT GREGG-ADAMS, Va. —  The community is mourning the death of Retired Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg.

Gregg, 96, died Thursday, one year after the United States Army named Fort Gregg-Adams in his honor.

"The entire Fort Gregg-Adams family is deeply saddened by the loss of a great American and our namesake,” said Maj. Gen. Michelle Donahue, the commanding general of the Fort Gregg-Adams and the Combined Arms Support Command. “Lt. Gen. Gregg will continue to inspire all who knew him and those who serve at Fort Gregg-Adams now and in the future. His dedication and leadership will never be forgotten. Our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Watch: Who was Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg?

Upon his retirement, Lt. Gen. Gregg was the highest-ranking Black officer in the U.S military. With the renaming of Fort Lee to Fort Gregg-Adams, Gregg became the first living person in modern U.S. history to have a base named after them.

"I want you to know how very proud I am, to share this very special honor with Lt. Colonel Charity Adams," Lt. Gen. Gregg said at the 2023 ceremony. "I hope this community will look with pride on the name Fort Gregg-Adams and that the name will instill pride in every soldier entering our mighty gates.”

Gregg enlisted as a private in the still segregated U.S. Army in January 1946 and spent the next 35 years climbing the ranks before retiring as a three-star general in 1981.

Lt. Col. Charity Adams served during World War II and at age 25 was selected to command the first and only unit of predominately Black women deployed in Europe.

This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.

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