William A. McCain

William Alexander McCain was born in Carrollton, Mississippi on 25 August 1878, a son of John Sidney McCain (1851–1934) and Elizabeth Ann Hart (Young) McCain. Among his siblings was John S. McCain Sr., an admiral in the United States Navy. His family also included an uncle, Brigadier General Henry Pinckney McCain, Admiral John S. McCain Jr., who was his nephew, and US Senator John S. McCain III, who was his grand-nephew. He began attendance in 1898 and graduated in 1902 ranked 44th of 54. His classmates who also became general officers included Walter K. Wilson Sr. and John Knowles Herr. Among his prominent classmates who did not attain general officer rank were Adam Casad and Harry Nelly. At graduation, McCain received his commission as a second lieutenant of Cavalry. ==Start of career==

McCain was initially assigned to the 8th Cavalry Regiment and posted to Fort Riley, Kansas. From April 1909 to February 1911, he served again at Fort Robinson. In March 1911, McCain received promotion to first lieutenant, and he served with the 8th Cavalry in the Philippines from March 1911 to February 1914, including postings to Batangas City, Fort William McKinley, Jolo, Sulu, and Fort Stotsenburg. In February 1914, McCain returned to the United States and joined the 15th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bliss, Texas. From 1914 to 1916, he took part in Mexican Border War activities at locations including Ysleta and Fabens in Texas. In March 1916, he took part in the US response to the Battle of Columbus, during which the forces of Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa attacked a town in New Mexico. McCain was promoted to captain in July 1916. ==Continued career==

From December 1916 to August 1917, McCain commanded the 26th Recruit Company at Columbus Barracks, Ohio. From October 1920 to February 1922, he was assigned to Koblenz as chief of Transportation for American Forces in Germany. From February to August 1922, he served on the Water Transportation staff at the New York General Intermediate Depot, where he continued his work on transporting demobilized equipment and soldiers from Europe to the United States. From August to October 1922, he was assigned as quartermaster for the military's National Marksmanship Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. From October 1922 to January 1924, McCain served as surplus property control officer at the New York General Intermediate Depot. ==Later career==

From February to June 1924, McCain was a student at the Army Industrial College (now the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy). He remained in command of the depot through American entry into World War II and received promotion to temporary brigadier general in October 1940. McCain was retired for disability on 30 June 1942, shortly before he would have reached the mandatory retirement age of 64 in August. From 1933, McCain was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati by right of descent from Captain John Young, who served with Virginia state troops during the American Revolutionary War. In his later years, his health began to fail as a result of his years of strenuous Cavalry service, and he experienced partial blindness and arthritis that was severe enough to require the use of a wheelchair. He died in Doylestown on 13 May 1960 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. ==Awards==

McCain's awards and decorations included the Army Distinguished Service Medal for his First World War service, and a second award of the DSM to recognize his World War II accomplishments. First Distinguished Service Medal citation The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Lieutenant Colonel (Field Artillery) William Alexander McCain, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. As Ordnance Officer of the 5th Army Corps, Colonel McCain displayed superior judgment, exceptional ability, and zealous devotion to duty, and executed successfully the difficult problems of the supply of munitions, thereby contributing materially to the success of the operations of the 5th Army Corps, and rendering important services to the American Expeditionary Forces, in the operations against the enemy during the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensives. Service: United States Army Rank: Lieutenant Colonel (Field Artillery) Division: 5th Army Corps, American Expeditionary Forces Action Date: World War I Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 12 (1929) ==Dates of rank==

• Second Lieutenant, 12 June 1902 • First Lieutenant, 5 March 1911 • Captain, 1 July 1916 • Major (National Army), 5 August 1917 • Lieutenant Colonel (National Army), 30 July 1918 • Colonel (National Army), 6 May 1919 • Captain, 30 June 1920 • Major, 1 July 1920 • Lieutenant Colonel, 18 July 1925 • Colonel, 1 June 1934 • Brigadier General (Army of the United States), 25 October 1940 • Colonel (Retired), 30 June 1942 • Brigadier General (Retired), 16 August 1948 ==References==