Sage mind, ready humor, religious adherence, gracious heart, military devotion and unquenchable will, were the rare ingredients which made tip the special soul of him who was affectionately called "Paul B”.

 

When fully grown, he ignored his undersize and relative poverty. The dogged way he broke through barriers and kept his stride toward West Point, is a tale as mighty as unbelievable. For example, when he had finished an official entrance exam he found it was for the Naval Academy. Bouncing into another room, he took one for the Military Academy, completed the two in the allotted time for one, and passed both.

 

Being a popular and fun loving cadet didn’t prevent him from coming out seventeen in a class of fifty-four.

 

His army service was full and upward; in the attack on San Juan Hill and leading a company in the Philippine Insurrection; instructor of chemistry at West Point where cadets pronounced him an exceptionally able teacher; selected when only a Captain to be Judge Advocate and Provost Marshal General of the Armv of Cuban Pacification; honor graduate of the Army School of the Line; sent as official observer of foreign maneuvers in Europe; named by General Pershing to be his Plans and Training Officer at headquarters in Chaumont; asked by the General where he would like to serve, he said, “at the fighting front.” He was assigned command of the 23d Infantry of the famed Second Division. He successfully led his command through the carnage of Chateau Thierry, Belleau Wood and Vaux. In the midst of the Aine-Marne, San Mihiel and Meuse Argonne campaigns, he was promoted temporary Brigadier General to command the brigade of which he’d been a part.

 

He personally led, often crawling on his belly, the dangerous crossing of the Meuse and the canal under direct enemy fire. General Pershing called it “one of the most brilliant military feats in the history of the American Army in France.” His D.S.C., four Silver Stars, and D.S.M. did not compass his feats of leadership and gallantry in battle.

 

He devoted himself after the war to keeping his men happy during the trying months of waiting in France to go home.

 

He was about to step off the boat as a Brigadier Ceneral, when he was handed a wire demoting him to normal rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was thus deprived of leading his brigade rightfully in the welcoming parade in New York.

 

He uttered no whimper, but worked assiduously in the War Department General Staff. He was then sent to the newly-born Infantry School at Fort Benning as Assistant Commandant. He completely overhauled the curriculum, introduced new methods, even designed the school crest with its motto, “Follow Me!” He has been called the father of the institution. So great was his pioneering work that in March 1959, the school authorities gave him three days of honors, climaxed by naming for him The Trainfire Range Complex consisting of all twenty-four target ranges.

 

Belatedly in 1927 the War Department recognized his superior merits and made him a permanent Brigadier General, then permanent Major Ceneral in 1928. He then successively and successfully commanded the 2d Division and Philippine Division, Third, Sixth and Ninth Corps Areas and the Third Army.

 

These deeds, eminent as they are, but partially picture the scope and culture of the man. His personal leadership made his subordinates want to look up to him respectfully, even though they had to look down on his five feet four and fifteen-sixteenth inches. When I was head of a department at Benning, I had no dread in presenting to him all sorts of novel projects. He would listen avidly to the most unconventional, make immediate, unmistakable decisions, laugh if he disapproved and bless me if he did.

 

He was as skilled a speaker and writer as he was a soldier. He had published five volumes, mostly fiction with West Point setting.

 

He was known as the “Silver-Tongued Orater of the Army”, and besought to speak everywhere he went, because his delivery was magnetic without ranting, perfectly enunciated without uhs and ahs and compelling continuously without trivialities but with convincing patriotism. At eighty he accepted an invitation to give a series of radio talks in San Francisco which were met with hearty approval. At eighty-three he kept an audience in Florida spellbound.

 

Paul B. Malone, we salute you, we follow close order behind you where you have pointed the way.

 

—Ganoe, ’07