Earl C. Mccrary

Colonel Earl C. McCrary entered the Army through the Selective Service System 16 May 1945. Following Infantry Basic Training, he served in Europe as a Criminal Investigation Division Agent until his reassignment to Officer Candidate School, Fort Riley, Kansas in February 1949. He was commissioned a 2d Lieutenant, Field Artillery, 12 August 1949; and, after completing the BA Officer Associate Basic Course, Fort Sill, Oklahoma. | He was assigned to Btry B, 39th FA Bn, 3d Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Georgia. He remained w/ the 39th FA Bn when it deployed w/ the Division to Korea in 1950. He served in various Battery Officer positions until his reassignment to the 175th FA Bn, 47th Infantry Division, Fort Rucker, Alabama in April 1952. In January 1953, Colonel McCrary was reassigned to the 504th FA Bn in the Canal Zone where he served in various battery and Battalion Officer positions until his reassignment to the Artillery Officer Advanced Course, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in September 1955. | While serving in the Canal Zone, Colonel McCrary was integrated into the Regular Army. Following attendance at the Advanced Course, Colonel McCrary was assigned as a Battery Commander, 601st AAA Bn in Maryland. He departed there in June 1957 for HQ, 2d Region, U.S. Army Air Defense Command, Fort Meade, Maryland, where he served first as an Operations-Training Officer, G-3 Section, then as Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General.  In August 1960, Colonel McCrary reported to the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for the Regular USACGSC Course. In July 1961, Colonel McCrary was reassigned to the Office of the Chief, Defense Atomic Support Agency, Washington, D.C, where he served as the Aide-de-Camp to the Chief until December 1963. | Starting in January 1964, Colonel McCrary went in succession to the Presidio of Monterey, California, for a course in French; to Civil Affairs School, Fort Gordon, Georgia for a course in Civic Action; and to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for the Psychological Warfare Operations Officer Course. In December 1964, he reported for duty with U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, as a Psychological Warfare-Civic Action Officer in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, J3, USMACV. He returned to the U.S. in December 1965 and in January 1966 reported to the Organization, Unit Training and Readiness Directorate, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, Force Development, HQDA, Washington, D.C, first as a DA Staff Action Officer, then as Directorate Executive Officer. | Colonel McCrary was reassigned to the U.S. Army Training Center, Infantry, Fort Benning, Georgia , in December 1968, and served as the Commanding Officer, 6th Bn, 2d Training Brigade, until March 1970. He was then assigned as Chief, Training Division, Office of Doctrine Development, Literature and Plans, U.S. Army Infantry School, until his transfer to U.S. Army Advisor Group, Alabama ARNG. | Colonel McCrary retired from active service 31 January 1975. His awards and decorations include: Legion of Merit w/ 1st Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal w/ V Device w/ 1st Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal, the Purple Heart w/1st Oak Leaf Cluster, the Presidential Unit Citation, and the Distinguished Unit Citation.