[1] His father was an officer in the United States Army, so Craig, a military brat, spent much of his childhood moving around the country.

[2] His father, Charles Franklin Craig, was a U.S. Army Medical Corps Officer and Tropical Medicine professional.

Craig had his first experience with the US Marine Corps when he was 10 years old while sightseeing at the Washington Navy Yard, where he was arrested for photographing naval guns.

[5] Craig, who was living in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, at the time, failed two eyesight tests in Chicago, Illinois, and had to personally plead to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Major General George Barnett, for a third try.

[3] Craig later said his chief motivation to join the Marines was to fight in World War I, and he thought the failure of his eye test slowed his career considerably.

Instead it was moved to Fort Crockett in Galveston, Texas, to safeguard oil fields in Tampico and other coastal areas from attack by the German Empire.

[15] where he served as commanding officer of the Marine detachment at the Puget Sound Naval Ammunition Depot, Washington state.

[21] Near the end of 1931, Craig joined the Marine Corps Base at San Diego, California, where he remained until June 1933.

[22] From June 1939 to June 1941, he was Marine officer and intelligence officer for Admiral Ernest King aboard the aircraft carriers USS Yorktown and USS Enterprise, and for an interval of four months was stationed at the Naval Air Station at Pearl Harbor.

[22] These duties took on increasing importance with the outbreak of World War II, and particularity after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

[24] He remained in the position until October, when he became commanding officer, Service Troops, 3rd Marine Division, and was promoted to colonel.

[22] Remaining as commanding officer of the regiment, he took part in the invasion and subsequent recapture of Guam, Marianas Islands, in July and August 1944.

For his participation in the fighting on Guam, he received the Navy Cross, and while serving as operations officer, V Amphibious Corps, he was awarded the Legion of Merit for outstanding services during the bitter campaign on Iwo Jima.

He returned to the United States in July 1945, and assumed duties as chief of staff of the Marine Training Command, San Diego Area.

[1] After six months as Chief Instructor of the Troop Training Unit, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet, during which time he was in charge of the Specialized Amphibious Training of Eighth Army Troops in Japan, he was promoted to brigadier general and again ordered overseas as assistant division commander, 1st Marine Division (Reinforced), Tientsin, China.

An Aggressive and inspiring leader, Colonel Craig constantly directed his men in combat in the face of intense enemy fire from the time of landing with the assault elements of his regiment until organized resistance ceased.

On 30 July, charged with capturing a portion of high ground on the force beachhead line and making contact with the Army on Mount Tenjo, Colonel Craig remained with his leading assault elements during the entire advance and, by his coolness under fire, provided inspiration for his officers and men.

When of his battalions encountered heavy enemy resistance near an important road junction during the advance to the northern end of Guam on 3 August, he took a position beside a tank advancing with the assault troops and, despite a constant stream of rifle and machine-gun fire, fearlessly remained there throughout the entire action of several hours to direct the attack which annihilated several hundred of the enemy.

His outstanding ability, courageous leadership and devotion to duty were important factors in the success of the campaign and reflect the highest credit upon Colonel Craig and the United States Naval Service.

[30]Citation: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star (Army Award) to Brigadier General Edward A. Craig (MCSN: 0-196), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action as Assistant Division Commander, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in the amphibious landing resulting in the capture of Inchon, Korea, on 15 September 1950 in the Inchon-Seoul operation.