Lieutenant Colonel Joe McCray was commissioned a Coast Artillery Corps Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class 18, 20 December 1949. His first duty assignment was as Platoon Leader, Battery A, 80th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Executive Officer, Battery A, 80th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Assistant Adjutant (Courts and Boards), 80th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Assistant Regimental Legal Officer for Camp Woods, 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team, Camp Woods, Japan; Commander, Headquarters Battery, 425th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, Fort Stewart, Georgia and Aiken, South Carolina; Commander, Battery A, 80th Airborne Division Artillery Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Commander, Headquarters Battery, XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Commander, Battery A, 77th Artillery, First Cavalry Division, South Korea; Assistant S-4, 35th Artillery Brigade, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland; Adjutant and Executive Officer, 36th Artillery Group, West Germany; Chief Troop Basis Officer, 7th Army and 7th Army Support Command, West Germany; Logistical Officer, then Executive Officer and Deputy Defense Commander, 35th Artillery Brigade, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland; Deputy Commander, Da Nang Sub Area Command, First Logistical Command, Da Nang, South Vietnam; Chief of Concepts for Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Night Observation, United States Army Combat Developments Command, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. | His awards and decorations include: Legion of Merit w/ Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal w/ 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army of Occupation-Germany and Japan, National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Korean Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Master Parachute Badge.