ORLANDO AUGUSTUS GREENING
WEST POINT CLASS of 1922
Annual Report, June 11, 1930
File # 6923
Died December 23, 1928 at St. Louis, Mo, aged 29 years
Orlando Augustus Greening, son of Eldridge S. & Alice McRea Greening, was born in Hope, Arkansas on September 28th, 1899. At the age of twelve, he became a member of the Southern Presbyterian Church of that place, which membership he retained until his death.
In the fall of 1916, after having finished his public school course in Hope, Arkansas, he entered Chamberlin Hunt Academy at Port Gibson, Miss, and graduated from that institution the following spring. At this time, he received from Congressman W. S. Goodwin, of Arkansas, an appointment to West Point. He graduated from Marion Institute in the spring of 1918, and learning that the war would be over before he could get into the service, he returned home and immediately volunteered for the Marine Corps, and was accepted although only seventeen. In the Marines, he was stationed at Paris Island, South Carolina, until November 3rd, 1918, when, acting upon the advise of his family and the recommendations of his superior officers, he received an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps to enter West Point.
At West Point, he was affectionately known as Gus among his many friends. Gus was a jolly companion and a man's man. He was a lover of sports and as number four on the Cadet polo team for three years was one of the best players the academy ever produced. In fact, later in 1922 and 1923, after leaving the Army, his playing at Westbury, Long Island, among our best international players created widespread attention, and favorable comment.
Gus had an active mind and an active body, and he succeeded in every enterprise which he laid his hand to. He was loyal to his friends and generous hearted to an extreme in sharing what he had with them. Later while living in New York City, his apartment was a rendezvous and haven of cheer to his comrades and friends in and about New York. The West Point football games in New York invariably brought together a host of old friends in Gus' apartment. Gus liked to entertain and spread good feeling, and he could do so to a superior degree.
After graduating from West Point in 1922, he resigned in September of the same year to become a bond salesman with Dillon, Read & Co, in New York City, which firm he remained for two years. As a bond man, Gus was exceptionally successful as he made several sales of a hundred thousand dollars each or more. Later he left Dillon, Read & Co., and accepted a position in the same capacity with Peabody, Houghteling & Co., also of New York, where he remained a year. In the spring of 1925, he felt the urge to lead a more active outdoor life, so he contracted with the Standard Oil Company for one year of foreign service and was sent to Eastern Venezuela as a construction engineer. Upon completing this contract, he accepted a like position with the Venezuela Gulf Oil Company and was sent to Maracaibo, Venezuela. He was promoted several times by this company, and, at the time of his death, held the position of Assistant Production Superintendent.
He returned to the United States in November, 1928 to spend the Christmas holidays with his parents, when he contracted influenza, which, combined with a sinus trouble, caused an abcess of the brain, which brought about his death at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis on December 23, 1928. He was buried on Christmas Eve in Rose Hill Cemetery, Hope, Arkansas.
He is gone, but we are all better and stronger for having known him. In memory, he is with us-a good man, a comrade, and a friend whose qualities of mind and heart made us love and admire him.
A Friend
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Orlando Augustus Greening, 7th District, Hope, Arkansas
Busted the first day he came through the sally port--that's Gus' record. From a Corp. in the Marines to a fourth-class buck in the Kaydet Corps in one jump. Gus made it. However, later developments brought inherent ability to light and he once more donned his chevrons and dominated a squad with the best of them
Just to show that he is as human as the rest of us, Gus at the end of his yearling year turned the sublime to the ridiculous and became a full-fledged snake, but ere long this sport palled and we welcomed him back to the ranks of "those that don't". Then, in the first class year high ideals led him to join the ranks of the Millionaire Squad, and he then spent the rest of his time successfully devising schemes to deadbeat chapel.
Gus is one of the best riders in the class and as a result, when the Polo squad was organized we found him holding down a position on the team which brought back the Intercollegiate championship. Anything they call a horse is rideable to Gus, and one of the mounted branches is going to get a good officer when Gus joins. A true pal and a staunch friend Gus has always been, and we are out to wish him luck wherever he goes.
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1920 New York Census ED 106
Highland Township, P 3A
West Point
U S Government Reservation
Jan 20, 1920
Orlando A Greening 20 WM Born Arkansas
Father born Arkansas, Mother Born Arkansas