Following the high school, he received appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, in summer of 1911 and graduated with bachelor's degree four years later.

[1] Many of his classmates became distinguished general officers later: Arthur C. Davis, Francis S. Low, Lynde D. McCormick, Arthur D. Struble, Ralph W. Christie, John L. McCrea, Ralph J. Mitchell, Harvey Overesch, Pedro del Valle, Howard L. Vickery, Richard W. Bates, Henry P. Burnett, DeWitt Peck, Oliver H. Ritchie, James M. Shoemaker, Scott Umsted or Raymond R.

The USS Brooklyn served as the flagship of the commander in chief, Asiatic Fleet, Vice Admiral Austin M. Knight, and Howard saw service in the waters off the coast of China, Japan and Russia.

[3] Upon his return to the United States, Howard was attached to the Marine Barracks Quantico in November 1918 and was stationed there for one year, before he was ordered to Houston, Texas, for recruiting duty.

He was ordered for expeditionary duty in Santo Domingo in February 1922 and participated in the anti-guerilla operations with 2nd Marine Brigade under Colonel Harry Lee.

[1] Upon the completion of the course, Howard sailed for Panama Canal Zone, where he served with the Marine barracks at Submarine Base Coco Solo until December 1928.

Howard served as deputy to brigadier generals James T. Buttrick and Philip H. Torrey and ultimately was appointed commandant of the schools in January 1941.

[5][6] Howard served in that capacity until May 1941 and then joined 2nd Marine Division under Major General Clayton B. Vogel at San Diego as Divisional Chief of Staff.

Particularly at Guadalcanal, General Howard's duties involved unusually difficult and complex command and logistical problems and it was through his resourcefulness, perseverance and industrious manner that an efficient, consistently dependable system was developed.

In both assignments, General Howard displayed tactical and administrative ability of the highest degree and was conspicuously successful in welding all Services at these important military bases into smooth-functioning commands.He was ordered back to the United States in June 1944 and assumed command of the Marine Corps Base San Diego as substitute for retiring Brigadier General Matthew H. Kingman.

He suffered a huge loss, when his beloved wife, Dorothy, died during the crash of United Airlines Flight 608 in Bryce Canyon, Utah on October 24, 1947.

[1][14][15] Major General Archie F. Howard died on June 24, 1964, in Naval Hospital, San Diego, and is buried with his wife at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.