Lieutenant General Raymond Stallings McLain (April 4, 1890 – December 14, 1954) was a senior United States Army officer. In the words of General 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. Early life and 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 Army National Guard in 1912, where he attained the rank of sergeant. In December 1914, during World War I (although the United States was still neutral at this stage), he was commissioned as an officer, with the rank of second lieutenant in the Oklahoma Army National Guard after he attended the School of Musketry at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He was promoted again next year to the rank of first lieutenant. Following the Pancho Villa Expedition in 1916, he served on the Mexican Border. The American entry into World War I came on April 6, 1917. During the war, Raymond served as a machine gun company commander with the 36th Division on the Western Front with the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) under General John Pershing until 1919. After return home, he continued his service with the Oklahoma Army National Guard and subsequently returned to his career in business. Between the wars In 1938, while pursuing a career in business, McLain, rose to the rank of brigadier general in the Oklahoma National Guard and attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. After graduating he was posted to the 45th Infantry Division, an Oklahoma Army National Guard formation, as an assistant chief of staff. In September 1940, he was recalled to the active duty and was appointed as the artillery commander of the 45th Infantry Division. World War II During World War II, he commanded the divisional artillery. He led the artillery overseas during the Allied invasion of Sicily in July–August 1943, where he earned the first of two Distinguished Service Crosses. He continued to lead the artillery in the Allied invasion of Italy in September, and in the early stages of the Italian Campaign, before eventually being sent to England. During