BG George Murrell Alexander

BG George Murrell Alexander was born on 1 Aug 1889 in Staunton, Virginia. He was the oldest of the 2 children born to Frank and Frances Elizabeth (Murrell) Alexander. His ancestors included the earliest settlers of the Shenandoah Valley as well as Native Americans. His father had worked as a clerk in a general store and then as head of the hardware firm of Frank Alexander & Company before dying of pneumonia at the age of 41 in 1893. Frances remarried 3-years later to James Emory Hughes, a Lynchburg lawyer, and the family moved there. However, his step-father was soon stricken with tuberculosis and although he moved to Texas seeking the relief of the dry climate by working as a cowboy he died in 1902. George's mother supported the family by taking in boarders at their home on Court Street. George was able to attend Virginia Military Institute and graduated in 1909. In 1910 he studied at Washington and Lee College.

Immediately appointed reserve CPT of Infantry in 1909 he served to 1910. In 1916 he received his federal recognition and commanded the Minutemen, a company formed expressly for the duty in Mexico. After mobilization for WWI he commanded L Company 116th Infantry which had been formed from E, L and part of G company, L Company (the Minutemen) having been CPT Alexander's before reorganization at Camp McClellan. He sailed for France in June 1918 with L Company and in the unit's service there was wounded. Promoted to MAJ while in France, due to other assigned duties he did not return with the 116th and came back to the United States in July 1919. 

George married Margaret Elizabeth Kinnier on 15 Nov 1921 and he worked as an insurance agent for Ivey and Kirkpatrick and notary with offices at the then Peoples National Bank Building, 801 North Main Street in Lynchburg. He would later own the firm. George and Margaret had a son in 1922, and a daughter in 1924. In January 1929 another son who died soon after birth. Meanwhile, he continued his military career with the Virginia Army National Guard. 

As a MAJ he commanded the 1st Battalion of the 116th Infantry then headquartered in Lynchburg. On 6 May 1929 he was promoted to LTC and served as Executive Officer of the 116th Infantry. When COL Hierome Opie retired he was promoted to COL on 26 Jun 1933 and made commander of the 116th. George and Margaret had the youngest of their children, a boy, in July 1938. COL Alexander was again reassigned, replaced by COL Evarts Opie on 6 Jun 1940. As the country prepared for war he was called to active duty, promoted to BG and assigned as commander of the 88th Infantry Brigade on 3 Feb 1941. He also commanded the 91st Infantry Brigade before being reassigned as Assisting Commanding General of the 29th Infantry Division on 11 Oct 1942. The division was then in England and beginning training that would prepare it for the amphibious invasion of Nazi occupied France. In 1943 he became the Assistant Deputy Provost Marshal General, US European Theater of Operations and served in that position until 1945. A recipient of the Bronze Star medal in WWII, BG Alexander retired from military service effective 31 Aug 1949. 

After his military retirement, George devoted himself to his business and civic interests. He died of heart disease on 3 Mar 1961 survived by his wife, daughter, youngest son, 3 grandchildren and sister. BG Alexander rests forever in the Spring Hill Cemetery in Lynchburg, Virginia. 

Note: this memorial is published on the 100th anniversary of his birth.