Lieutenant Colonel Gerald Greenfield has lived an exemplary life. Now 104 years old, the U.S. Army Veteran served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. “I served for 30 years, one month and 17 days,” says Lt. Col. Greenfield. “I know my history.”
The country has changed a lot during Lt. Col. Greenfield’s lifetime. He was born in 1920 and grew up in the south during the Jim Crow era. His high school was segregated and under-resourced, but he rose above the challenges and went on to attend Tennessee State University to study history, social science and physical science. He graduated in 1941 and enlisted in the Army in 1943.
“I really didn’t volunteer, I was told to show up,” says Lt. Col. Greenfield. “But it was my duty to perform, and I did what I thought was part of my duty. I stayed on for two reasons. One, the lack of employment for Black people during that period, and two, to help support my family.”
Initially, he trained at Camp Pickett in Virginia and several other camps on the East Coast before his segregated unit shipped out to England amidst the Battle of the Bulge. During World War II, he served as a platoon sergeant with a supply company in Germany and ended his tour in Austria. He was discharged in 1945 and then called to serve in Korea in 1950. He remained in the Army for the next two decades.
Lt. Col. Greenfield rose through the ranks despite the barriers posed by systemic racism. According to the Baltimore Sun, “During that time in the military, Greenfield said Black college graduates faced additional discrimination from white higher-ups, who resented their education. Despite applying for Officer Candidate School numerous times starting in the 1940s, it wasn’t until he earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver in 1957 that supervisors felt he had enough expertise.” In 1963, he was finally promoted from master sergeant to captain, eventually achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was honorably discharged in 1973.
In 1963, while stationed at Fort Meade, Lt. Col. Greenfield and his family moved to Columbia. “It was a growing community, and lots of people were anxious to live there because of its diversity and the cost of a good home,” he said. “I’ve been here ever since. I like the community. I like the diversity. It was a very nice place to settle.”
Lt. Col. Greenfield looks forward to having the Howard County Veterans and Military Families Monument right in his community. “I have to go to Washington, D.C., to see service monuments now. When I do go, it brings back memories, and I feel honored that they are there,” he says. “We don’t get too much credit for our service, but I feel very proud of it. I gave all that I could, and I would do it again.”
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