Guy H. Preston

Guy H. Preston
Preston circa 1918. From the April 1954 issue of Assembly magazine
Born	(1864-05-29)May 29, 1864 Medford, Massachusetts, US
Died	December 12, 1952(1952-12-12) (aged 88) Palo Alto, California, US
Buried	Alta Mesa Memorial Park, Palo Alto, California, US
Service	United States Army
Years of service	1888–1928
Rank	Brigadier General
Service number	0-208[1]: 300
Unit	US Army Cavalry Branch
Commands	Troop F, 13th Cavalry Regiment 2nd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment 19th Cavalry Regiment 77th Field Artillery Regiment 4th Field Artillery Brigade 160th Field Artillery Brigade 7th Division Camp Harry J. Jones 1st Cavalry Regiment 2nd Division Trains 23rd Infantry Regiment Eighth Corps Area General Depot General Intermediate Depot, San Francisco
Conflicts	American Indian Wars Ghost Dance War Battle of Wounded Knee Drexel Mission Fight Bannock War of 1895 Johnson County War Pullman Strike Spanish–American War Puerto Rico campaign Philippine–American War Mexican Border War World War I Occupation of the Rhineland
Awards	Silver Star
Alma mater	United States Military Academy United States Army Command and General Staff College United States Army War College
Spouse(s)	Frances Elizabeth Hacker ​ ​ (m. 1899⁠–⁠1930)​
Children	2

Guy H. Preston (May 29, 1864 – December 12, 1952) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the American Indian Wars, Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, and World War I, he served from 1888 to 1928 and attained the rank of brigadier general. His command assignments included the 4th Field Artillery Brigade, 160th Field Artillery Brigade, 7th Division, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 23rd Infantry Regiment, Eighth Corps Area General Depot, and the San Francisco General Intermediate Depot. Preston's awards included the Citation Star for heroism in the Ghost Dance War against the Lakota people in 1891. When the Citation Star was authorized for conversion to the Silver Star in 1932, Preston's award was converted to the new medal.

A native of Medford, Massachusetts, Preston was raised and educated in Medford, Lanesboro, and Cheshire, and he attended Worcester Academy in Massachusetts and New Hamsphire's Phillips Exeter Academy. He graduated from the United States Military Academy (West Point) in 1888 and began his military career in the Cavalry Branch. Near the end of the American Indian Wars, Preston took part in the Ghost Dance War and Bannock War of 1895. He served in Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War and on the island of Luzon during the Philippine–American War.

During World War I, U.S. Army planners determined there was no need for Cavalry units in France, so they were converted to Field Artillery. Preston successively commanded the 19th Cavalry Regiment, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Field Artillery Brigade, and 160th Field Artillery Brigade, in addition to serving as interim commander of the 7th Division. During the war he was promoted to temporary brigadier general. After the war, he returned to his permanent rank of colonel and commanded the 23rd Infantry Regiment, Eighth Corps Area General Depot, and General Intermediate Depot, San Francisco.

Preston retired in 1928 and became a resident of Palo Alto, California. He died in Palo Alto on December 12, 1952. He was buried at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Pao Alto.