A Soldier's Story: General Malin Craig



General Malin Craig was born on August 5, 1875, in St. Joseph, Missouri. He entered West Point in 1894 and graduated in 1898.

His initial assignment with the 4th Infantry Regiment lasted only a few short months before he was transferred to the 6th Cavalry Division and deployed to Cuba to participate in the Santiago Campain.

After redeployment, he was briefly assigned to the Western outposts in Wyoming and Oklahoma before departing for China in 1900. General Craig was then deployed to the Philippines.

After General Craig returned stateside, he attended the Infantry and Cavalry School and the Staff College before being assigned to the post of Regimental Quartermaster at Fort Clark. Finally, General Craig returned to the classroom, graduating from the Army War College in 1910.



General Craig would serve in various capacities throughout the Western United States, including working as an instructor at Leavenworth until World War I erupted, and he deployed to France to serve as the Chief of Staff for General Hunter Ligget in the 1st Infantry and then the I Corps and finally as the Chief of Staff for the Third Army.

After WWI, General Craig commanded the District of Arizona, commanded the Army's Cavalry School, commanded the Panama Canal Zone, and served as the President of the Army War College before being appointed the Chief of Staff of the United States Army.

General Craig would briefly retire in 1939, only to be reactivated in 1941 when the US faced involvement in World War II. He was appointed to head the War Department Personnel Board, a position he would hold until his death on July 25, 1945.

General Malin Craig rests in Arlington National Cemetry.

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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to the travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

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Location: St Joseph, MO, USA

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