Raymond S . McLain Raymond Stallings McLain ( April 4 , 1890 – December 14 , 1954 ) was a general of the United States Army , rising to the rank of lieutenant general . In the words of George C . Marshall , Raymond S . McLain " gave great distinction to the term ' citizen soldier ' " . His service to his state and nation spanned more than forty years . Beginning of military career . Raymond McLain was born in Washington County , Kentucky as a son of Thomas A . and Lucetta ( Stallings ) McLain . He graduated from Hill ’ s Business College in Oklahoma City in 1909 and subsequently worked as a clerk in real estate office and then worked as an abstractor . Simultaneously entered in the Oklahoma National Guard in 1912 , where he reached the rank of sergeant . In December 1914 , he was commissioned to the rank of second lieutenant in the Oklahoma National Guard after he attended the School of Musketry at Fort Sill . He was promoted again next year to the rank of first lieutenant . Following a Pancho Villa Expedition , he served as a machine gun company commander with 36th Infantry Division on the Mexican Border . During World War I , he was with the American Expeditionary Forces under General John J . Pershing in France until 1919 . After return home , he continued service with the Oklahoma National Guard and subsequently returned to his career in business . World War II . In 1938 , while pursuing a career in business , McLain , rose to the rank of brigadier general in the Oklahoma National Guard , and attended the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth . After graduating he was posted to the 45th Infantry Division as an assistant chief of staff . In September 1940 , he was recalled to the active duty and was appointed as commander of 45th Infantry Division Artillery . During World War II , he commanded the 45th Infantry Division artillery in Sicily , where he earned the first of two Distinguished Service Cross es . At Normandy in 1944 , McLain took command of the troubled 90th Infantry Division , transformed it into a first - class fighting formation , and led it across France . He then assumed command of the XIX Corps , becoming the only guardsman to command a corps in combat during the war . For his distinguished service , he was appointed a Regular Army brigadier general , the first guardsman so honored . Later , he became the first comptroller of the army . At the time of his death in 1954 he was serving on President Dwight Eisenhower ' s National Security Training Commission . He died at Walter Reed General Hospital in Washington , D . C . on December 14 , 1954 . Honors . Tulsa Public High School Named is his honor . For the service and performance exhibited by McLain in his military career , the Tulsa Public Schools built and honored General McLain , by opening Raymond S . McLain Senior High School , in September , 1959 . In the years that followed its opening , many relatives , friends and descendants of General McLain attended school assemblies and honored him . After almost 50 years of graduating many young adults who have achieved similar excellence in their own lives from McLain , today McLain High School now serves the community in an occupational job program role . On May 22 & 23 , 2009 , General McLain and the McLain High School graduates of the first three classes came together for a joint class reunion and honored General McLain and the schools ' 50 year birthday . The event was held in Tulsa , OK . Decorations . Lieutenant General McLain ' s decorations include : Distinguished Service Cross with Oak leaf Cluster , Army Distinguished Service Medal with Oak leaf Cluster , Silver Star , Legion of Merit , Bronze Star with Oak leaf Cluster , Mexican Border Service Medal , World War I Victory Medal with two battle clasps , American Defense Service Medal , American Campaign Medal , European - African - Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one silver and three bronze service stars and Arrowhead device , World War II Victory Medal , Army of Occupation Medal , Chevalier of the Legion of Honor , French Croix de Guerre 1939 – 1945 , Grand officer of the Order of Orange - Nassau with swords , Commander of the Order of Leopold II and Croix de Guerre . Lieutenant General McLain ' s ribbon bar :