Maxwell Murray Maxwell Murray ( June 19 , 1885 – August 4 , 1948 ) was a United States Army officer , who rose to the rank of Major General . Murray commanded the 25th Infantry Division during the Attack on Pearl Harbor . He was the son of Major general Arthur Murray . Early years and World War I . Maxwell Murray was born on June 19 , 1885 at West Point , New York as a son of Major general Arthur Murray , first Chief of Coast Artillery Corps and his wife Sarah Wetmore DeRussy , daughter of Union Brigadier general René Edward De Russy . Murray attended the United States Military Academy during the years 1903 - 1907 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of the Cavalry on June 14 , 1907 . During World War I , Murray was transferred to the Field Artillery branch on January 13 , 1917 and sent with 5th Field Artillery within 1st Infantry Division to the France . Murray was promoted to the temporary rank of Colonel and was put in command of the 5th Field Artillery Regiment during the Battle of Cantigny , Battle of Soissons and Second Battle of the Marne . For his leadership , he was awarded with the Distinguished Service Medal and Silver Star . He was also decorated with the Croix de guerre with Guilt Star and Fourragère by the government of France . Interwar service . After the war , upon his return from the European battlefield , Murray was reverted to the rank of Major in the Field Artillery and was put in command of the Artillery training center at Fort Bragg , North Carolina . Between 1919 - 1920 , Murray took a special course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and after graduation , he was transferred to the Office of Chief of Field Artillery , under the command of Major general William J . Snow . In 1924 , Murray attended the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill , Oklahoma , where he earned more knowledges about Field Artillery . Subsequently he attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas . His next assignment was as an Aide to Governor - General of the Philippines , Dwight F . Davis from 1929 to 1932 . Subsequently Murray was transferred back to Fort Bragg , North Carolina , where he was appointed a member of Field Artillery Board . In this capacity , Murray was promoted to the rank of Colonel . In 1936 , he was transferred to the 5th Field Artillery Regiment , where he was appointed an Executive officer of the unit and an Commanding officer next year . World War II . With the Japanese Attack on attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 , Murray served as a Commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division ( former Hawaiian Division ) . During his command , 25th Division performed intensive training due to its deployment in Pacific . He served in this capacity until the end of April 1942 , when he was replaced by major general J . Lawton Collins . In addition , Murray was awarded with his first Legion of Merit for his service as CG of 25th Infantry Division . Major general Murray subsequently served as a Commanding general of the 35th Infantry Division stationed at Camp San Luis Obispo , California . He was succeeded by Major general Paul W . Baade in January 1943 and transferred to Pasadena , Southern California , where he commanded the local sector within Western Defense Command under the command of general John L . DeWitt . Murray also received an Oak Leaf Cluster to the Legion of Merit for his service in Western Defense Command . In 1943 , Major general Murray was transferred to the combat area in New Caledonia in Central Pacific area , where he commanded the Guadalcanal Island Forward Area . This command included the Fiji Islands . For his service in this capacity , Murray was awarded with the Second Oak Leaf Cluster to the Legion of Merit . In November 1945 , Murray returned to the United States and was assigned to headquarters of the Army Ground Forces in Washington , D . C . Murray finally retired from the Army on September 30 , 1946 . Retirement . Major general Maxwell Murray died of heart attack on August 4 , 1948 at the age of 63 years at his home in Siasconset , Massachusetts . He was survived by his wife Phyllis Muriel Howard ( 1890 - 1976 ) with whom , he had a son Colonel Arthur Maxwell Murray ( USMA , Class 1938 ) and a daughter , Ann Howard . He is buried together with his family at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia . Decorations . Here is the ribbon bar of Major general Maxwell Murray :