People in Cumberland County are mourning the death of U.S. Army Major General Harold Green. Major General Greene and his family had strong ties in the Carlisle area.
U.S. Army War College
Major General Harold Greene and his wife Sue both attended the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle. They graduated in 2003. Major General Greene was a Colonel at the time. He later got promoted to the ranks of U.S. Army Major General.
“Violence on the battlefield is agnostic to rank. A tragedy like this could happen to anyone. The thousands of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and civilians who have served honorably do so each day knowing that they may pay the ultimate price,” said David Funk, Deputy Commandant with the U.S. Army War College. “This is a tragedy for the war college family, one that we mourn. We reach out to General Greene’s family, to Sue Myers and her extended family, and their kids. But whether he was a Major General or a private in the Army, our loss is no greater or no less. He was a member of our family.”
In 2005 Sue became of professor of Distance Learning at the U.S. Army War College. She retired in 2010.
The U.S. Army War College plans to hold a memorial service and invite the Greene family. At that time, they will place Major General Howard Greene’s name on their Fallen Alumni Memorial.
Carlisle High School Marching Band
The Greene family also had ties to the Carlisle High School. Major General Greene’s children, Matt and Amelia both attended the school and were members of the marching band. Sue was a volunteer with the band booster organization.
“It was a strong connection. The Greene family was a very prominent family within our band organization. You could always depend on them. They were always there for you no matter what,” said David Rohrer, former Band Director with the Carlisle School District.
Rohrer said Major General Greene was a kind, likeable person, who was devoted to his work and family. “It was hard to tell his rank if he wasn’t in his uniform, he was very approachable,” said Rohrer.
Major General Greene was known to show up at a Friday night football game to watch his kids perform with the band. “Of course when their father would show up on a Friday night maybe not even expected that was always a nice surprise for Matt and Amelia,” said Rohrer.
“We’re all concerned about his wife Sue, how she is doing, and how the kids are handling this because they are not old. This is a tragedy for a young family like this,” said Rohrer. “We all lose our parents in our lifetime but children their age, mid-twenties, that’s a very hard thing.”