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Brandt Fox Grubbs

No. 199386 December 1932 - 30 April 2010

Died: Destin, FL

Interred: Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola, FL

Brandt Fox Grubbs was born on 6 Dec 1932 at Schofield Barracks, HI, a son of the late COL Haydon Y. Grubbs, Sr., Class of ’25, and Susan Brandt Grubbs. He was born into a dedicated Army family; four uncles were West Point graduates, including MG Carl A. Brandt, U.S. Air Force. Brandt grew up on numerous Army posts, including Schofield Barracks, HI; Ft. Knox, KY; Ft. Jackson, SC, Ft. Bragg, NC, and the headquarters of GEN Douglas MacArthur in Tokyo, Japan. Early on, he demonstrated the leadership skills so apparent throughout his life when he was elected senior class president at Mequro High School in Tokyo. He also was elected to the National Honor Society and played on the school’s basketball and six-man football teams.

 

Brandt decided at a very young age that he would attend West Point. After a period of study at Sullivan’s Preparatory School, he entered the Academy in July 1950 with a Presidential appointment, one of the youngest members of the Class of ’54. Brandt fit in well in Company E-2. His persistent and common sense approach to the demanding military, academic and athletic requirements won him the respect of his company mates and the tactical officer. As a result, he was appointed a second class corporal and lieutenant his first class year. At graduation in 1954, he entered the Infantry, completing the basic course, airborne and Ranger training at Ft. Benning before joining the 13th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division, at Ft. Carson, CO. Platoon and company duties in the States and then Germany preceded his assignment as aide-de-camp to MG Harold K. Johnson, later to become Army Chief of Staff.

 

More company command and battalion level duties were performed upon return to Ft. Riley, KS, in 1959. Selected the next year to attend the infantry advanced course, he excelled in the Atomic Biological and Chemical instruction during the year and was chosen to attend Tulane University in 1961 to obtain a degree in nuclear engineering. The plentiful diversions of the New Orleans environment did not deter Brandt from obtaining his master’s degree with honors; as he said later, “An ideal opportunity to study something I enjoyed, at a place I really enjoyed.” After the two-year arduous academic pursuit, Brandt was able to spend time with his parents, now living in Shalimar, FL, on a picturesque bay leading to the Gulf of Mexico.

 

In 1963, Brandt joined the G-3 section of the 7th Infantry Division in Korea. He was assigned as commandant of the division’s troubled NCO academy, where he worked to upgrade the curriculum and standards. His efficiency report reflected the success of his endeavors: “Captain Grubbs’ leadership in raising the level of professionalism at the Academy was evident by the superior reputation it now enjoys throughout the Division.” He returned to CONUS and the Army staff for a classified utilization tour in the atomic energy branch and later was chief of the branch. In 1967, as a major, he attended the MATA course at Ft. Bragg and then joined the special operations group, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. Never to make too much of a very demanding and rather dangerous tour, all Brandt would say is that it was “pretty interesting, especially during Tet that spring.” LTC (since 1968) Grubbs attended the Command & General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, KS, and, after graduation, went back to Ft. Benning for a short period. He then volunteered to return to Vietnam and in July 1970 joined I Field Force Vietnam as the chief, Operations Division, G-3. The whole tour was non-stop, working closely with Marine, Navy and Air Force staffers, monitoring the myriad of tactical actions, insuring higher headquarters were kept apprised of ongoing and future operations, briefing the command group, and, of course, visitors. He returned to Ft. Benning and had a major role in developing the multitude of doctrine and organizational concepts required for the Army in the seventies. As a senior team chief, test and evaluation, combat developments command infantry, he was deeply involved in the planning and execution of major field exercises at Ft. Bragg and Ft. Hood, such as Project MASSTER. He decided in 1975 to retire and return to the gulf coast of Florida to the property he’d purchased at Poquito Bayou in Shalimar. He would now be able to help care for his aging parents, who lived nearby, along with his brother Haydon, sister-in-law Lyn, niece Kimberly and nephew Haydon Young III. After building his retirement home, he became involved in a multitude of civic activities, primarily as a very dedicated member of the local Kiwanis Club. He refurbished bicycles and old cars for auction at the many Kiwanis charities. At Christmas every year he dressed as Santa Claus, taking meals and gifts to needy families. For his devotion to these and other meaningful charitable activities, Brandt was honored by the Kiwanis Club and the mayor of Fort Walton Beach, FL, by the naming of 6 Oct 2002 as “Brandt Grubbs Appreciation Day.”

 

Brandt passed away 30 Apr 2010 after a lengthy illness. His service to his country was recognized by two Bronze Stars, a Meritorious Service Medal, two Commendation Medals, the Vietnam Service Medal with silver star, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and National Defense Service Medal.

 

A proud graduate of West Point, Brandt served his country faithfully with honor and distinction. Once you met him, he was your friend and someone you could always count on. Those who were fortunate to be a friend relate to his enthusiastic approach to life, his wry sense of humor, selflessness, honesty and generous nature. He is remembered with love by his brother, sister-in-law, nephew, and niece, as well as by numerous cousins, and relatives throughout the country. Brandt has joined Easy Two’s already departed Band of Brothers. Most probably, as a good Infantryman, he’s on point.

 

—Family & classmates

 

Originally published in TAPS, July 2011

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