General William Grey

General William Grey

Background

William Grey is a United States Marine Corps General and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for President Thomas J. Whitmore in Washington, D.C.

During the events of Independence Day (1996) played by Robert Loggia

General Grey asks a Commanding Officer who else knows about the space signal. Commanding Officer tells General Grey that only S.E.T.I. knows about it and the space mass has a mass roughly 1/4th the size of the moon. Second Officer tells General Grey that it is not a meteor as it is slowing down. General Grey then calls Albert Nimziki. The Chief of Staff, General Grey, Nimziki and President Whitmore argue on what to do next. Nimziki tells Atlantic Air CINC to upgrade to DEFCON 3. Another Commanding Officer walks in and tells the group that the object has split into multiple smaller objects and will be entering their atmosphere soon. Commanding Officer is told by Second Officer that an object has been spotted over Iraq , which Commanding Officer repeats to Atlantic Air CINC. General Grey tells President Whitmore about another object heading towards California. George Putnam gives a report on events taking place in Russia, which is then explained locally by Russian Reporter who describes the hysteria in the area as a large object appears out of the sky. Russian Newscaster continues that the object is headed towards Moscow. General Grey tells President Whitmore that they have an AWACS off the Pacific Coast. Radar Techs tell Pilots that side radar is picking up nothing. The Pilots relay this information, but their AWACS explodes when it makes contact with the suddenly appearing large object. Military Aide says they lost the signal and Atlantic Air CINC tells everyone two more objects have been spotted heading towards New York City and Washington, D.C. Nimziki tells Whitmore's Aide to organize a military escort, but President Whitmore decides he is staying. President Whitmore tells Constance Spano to have the National Broadcast system advise people not to panic. President Whitmore gives a news conference flanked by a Secret Service Agent. Sky Crane Pilot lifts off and heads towards the spaceship. Sky Crane Pilot initiates contact and President Whitmore tells General Grey to initiate an evacuation from the cities and to cancel Sky Crane Pilots mission. The spaceship opens up and Sky Crane Pilot's helicopter is shot out of the sky by a blue energy beam. President Whitmore has the White House evacuated and David Levinson and Julius Levinson join them.

Commander/Tech hands the phone to General Grey and informs him NORAD is on the line. Capt. Steven Hiller and the rest of the Black Knights squadron head towards the spaceship hovering over Los Angeles, while simultaneously being monitored by President Whitmore. Technician tells General Grey that the squadron is ready to attack, while Commander/Tech tells him that the New York squadron is also ready to attack. The Black Knights attack, but find out the spaceships have shields and are then attacked by smaller spaceships that also have shields and one of the Pilots is killed when his jet rams into the spaceship. President Whitmore orders the squadrons to retreat and the mission is aborted. Commander/Tech tells General Grey that NORAD has been destroyed. David overhears Nimziki trying to convince President Whitmore to use nuclear weapons and starts arguing with them. Julius argues that they knew about the Harvesters from Roswell and Nimziki reveals that Roswell actually happened. Major Mitchell greets President Whitmore as Air Force One lands at Area 51. President Whitmore is introduced to Dr. Brakish Okun and Dr. Isaacs and Dr. Okun brings President Whitmore down to the hangar where they are keeping the downed Roswell craft. General Grey tells President Whitmore that every major city on Earth will be destroyed within the next 36 hours. Hiller is introduced to President Whitmore and General Grey tells Hiller that El Toro was completely destroyed. Secret Servicemen and Secret Service Agent, followed by Mitchell, President Whitmore and General Grey walk towards the lab. The Harvester tries to use Dr. Okun to have the lab door opened, but General Grey realizes something is wrong. President Whitmore tries to communicate with the Harvester and it attacks him psychically and Mitchell and the Secret Servicemen and Agent shoot and kill the Harvester. President Whitmore tells General Grey that he saw their plan to destroy the Earth and orders a nuclear strike. B-2 Pilot radios Technician that he is heading towards the alien spaceship near Houston, Texas, who then tells Commander/Tech. Meanwhile Tank Commander and Ed drive to the outskirts of Houston. B-2 Pilot fires the missile at the alien spaceship, but Tank Commander notifies Technician that the alien spaceship was not damaged.

David tells everyone about his plan to insert a virus in to the alien mothership which will then allow him to disable their shields. Hiller volunteers to fly the alien craft on the mission with David and President Whitmore agrees to the plan. General Grey briefs Hiller and David on how to use the nuclear device attached to the alien craft. Hiller flies the alien craft into space and General Grey tells President Whitmore that the alien spaceship is heading their way. President Whitmore and the others attack the spaceships and the missiles hit their targets. President Whitmore fires his last missile at the main alien spaceship firing device but misses. Lt. Peterson goes to fire his missile, but is blown up by an alien space craft. Russell Casse is the last remaining pilot with a missile and attempts to fire his last missile, but it malfunctions, forcing him to kamikaze into the firing device. The alien spaceship explodes into pieces and everyone celebrates. Technician tells General Grey that he has something on radar and a convoy goes out to meet Hiller and David.