Arthur L. Conger
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Arthur Latham Conger Jr. (January 30, 1872 – February 22, 1951) was an officer in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
, a writer and editor. A veteran of the
Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...
,
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War, known alternatively as the Philippine Insurrection, Filipino–American War, or Tagalog Insurgency, emerged following the conclusion of the Spanish–American War in December 1898 when the United States annexed th ...
,
Boxer Rebellion The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, was an anti-foreign, anti-imperialist, and anti-Christian uprising in North China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty, by the Society of Righteous and Harmonious F ...
,
Pancho Villa Expedition The Pancho Villa Expedition—now known officially in the United States as the Mexican Expedition, but originally referred to as the "Punitive Expedition, US Army"—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the para ...
, and
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, he attained the rank of
colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
and devised the World War I deception known as the ''Belfort Ruse''. A noted
theosophist Theosophy is a religious movement established in the United States in the late 19th century. Founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and based largely on her writings, it draws heavily from both older European philosophies such as Neo ...
, he served as president of
Theosophical Society Pasadena The Theosophical Society (Pasadena) is a branch of Theosophy based in Pasadena, California. It claims to be the successor organization to the original Theosophical Society founded by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and others in 1875 in New York Cit ...
. A native of
Akron, Ohio Akron () is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Ohio, fifth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 190,469 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Akron metr ...
, Conger attended
Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate education, undergraduate college of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Part of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Scienc ...
and the Episcopal Theological Seminary, then worked at the Theosophy Society's main office in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. He joined the Army during the
Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...
, and served in the Philippines. He continued to serve in the Philippines during the Philippine–American War, and was part of the American contingent that took part in responding to China's Boxer Rebellion. He served on the U.S.-Mexico border during the Pancho Villa Expedition. During World War I, Conger served as assistant chief of staff for
Intelligence Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It can be described as t ...
(G-2) on the staff of the 2nd Division, and then as a member of the
Intelligence directorate Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It can be described as the ...
(G-2) on the staff of the
American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) was a formation of the United States Armed Forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I, composed mostly of units from the United States Army, U.S. Army. The AEF was establis ...
headquarters. While on the AEF staff, Conger was the lead planner for a summer 1918 deception, which became known as the ''Belfort Ruse''. This effort to deceive German commanders into allocating forces away from
Saint-Mihiel Saint-Mihiel () is a commune in the Meuse department in the Grand Est region in Northeastern France. Geography Saint-Mihiel lies on the banks of the river Meuse. History A Benedictine abbey was established here in 708 or 709 by Count Wulfoalde ...
was intended to produce an Allied advantage during an upcoming offensive. At the ensuing
Battle of Saint-Mihiel The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12 to 15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States again ...
, the Allied numerical superiority produced by Conger's deception surprised the Germans and caused a rapid Allied victory. After this success, Conger was assigned to command the 56th Infantry Brigade, which he led until the end of the war. After World War I, Conger commanded the 20th Infantry Regiment and served as U.S.
military attaché A military attaché or defence attaché (DA),Defence Attachés
''Geneva C ...
in
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
and
Bern Bern (), or Berne (), ; ; ; . is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city".; ; ; . According to the Swiss constitution, the Swiss Confederation intentionally has no "capital", but Bern has gov ...
,
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
. He retired in 1928. After leaving the military, Conger renewed his interest in theosophy. In 1945 he was elected president of Theosophical Society Pasadena, and he served until his death. He died in
Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...
on February 22, 1951.


Early life

Arthur L. Conger Jr., was born in
Akron, Ohio Akron () is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Ohio, fifth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 190,469 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Akron metr ...
, on January 30, 1872. He was the second of four children born to Arthur L. Conger Sr. and Emily (Bronson) Conger. The senior Conger was a Union Army veteran of the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, member of the
Ohio National Guard The Ohio National Guard comprises the Ohio Army National Guard and the Ohio Air National Guard. The commander-in-chief of the Ohio Army National Guard is the List of governors of Ohio, governor of the U.S. state of Ohio. If the Ohio Army Nation ...
, prominent businessman, and Republican Party leader. He was also a high-ranking
Mason Mason may refer to: Occupations * Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a worker who lays bricks to assist in brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces * Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cutti ...
, and attained the
Knight Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...
degree of the
York Rite In Anglo-American Freemasonry, York Rite, sometimes referred to as the American Rite, is one of several Rites of Freemasonry. It is named after York, in Yorkshire, England, where the Rite was supposedly first practiced. A Rite is a series of ...
and 32nd degree of the
Scottish Rite The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry is a List of Masonic rites, rite within the broader context of Freemasonry. It is the most widely practiced List of Masonic rites, Rite in the world. In some parts of the world, and in the ...
. Emily Conger was prominent in the
Daughters of the American Revolution The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (often abbreviated as DAR or NSDAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a patriot of the American Revolutionary War. A non-p ...
,
Order of the Eastern Star The Order of the Eastern Star (OES) is a Freemasonry, Masonic List of fraternal auxiliaries and side degrees, appendant Masonic bodies, body open to both men and women. It was established in 1850 by lawyer and educator Rob Morris (Freemason), R ...
, and
Women's Relief Corps The Woman's Relief Corps (WRC) is a 501(c)(3) organization, charitable organization in the United States, originally founded as the official Auxiliaries, women's auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) in 1883. The organization ...
. She was the author of ''An Ohio Woman in the Philippines'', and in 1903 became qualified as a
doctor of osteopathic medicine Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO or D.O., or in Australia DO USA) is a medical degree conferred by the 38 osteopathic medical schools in the United States. DO and Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees are equivalent: a DO graduate may become li ...
. The younger Conger was nicknamed "Whit" because as a boy he was often found
whittling Whittling may refer either to the art of carving shapes out of raw wood using a knife or a time-occupying process of repeatedly shaving slivers from a piece of wood. It is used by many as a pastime, or as a way to make artistic creations. Backgr ...
with a pocket knife, and he was educated in the public schools of Akron. When Conger was 13, his older brother Kenyon sustained severe injuries in a bicycle accident. His doctor recommended foreign travel as part of his treatment, so Kenyon Conger, Arthur Conger and another companion spent a year visiting the
British Isles The British Isles are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner Hebrides, Inner and Outer Hebr ...
,
Continental Europe Continental Europe or mainland Europe is the contiguous mainland of Europe, excluding its surrounding islands. It can also be referred to ambiguously as the European continent, – which can conversely mean the whole of Europe – and, by som ...
, the
Mediterranean coast The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eu ...
, and the
Near East The Near East () is a transcontinental region around the Eastern Mediterranean encompassing the historical Fertile Crescent, the Levant, Anatolia, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and coastal areas of the Arabian Peninsula. The term was invented in the 20th ...
. As a youth, Conger began the study of music. He became an accomplished piano and organ player, and frequently gave concerts, played at church services, and participated in entertainment programs. He continued to study music and music composition throughout his life, and maintained a lifelong interest in the piano and organ. In 1890, Conger began attendance at
Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate education, undergraduate college of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Part of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Scienc ...
, where he was a member of the fencing team,
chess Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...
club,
whist Whist is a classic English trick-taking card game which was widely played in the 18th and 19th centuries. Although the rules are simple, there is scope for strategic play. History In 1674, '' The Complete Gamester'' described the game Ru ...
club, Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770, and
Delta Kappa Epsilon Delta Kappa Epsilon (), commonly known as ''DKE'' or ''Deke'', is one of the oldest Fraternities and sororities, fraternities in the United States, with fifty-six active chapters and five active Colony (fraternity or sorority), colonies across No ...
fraternity. Conger left college without graduating; he later completed his graduation requirements, and in 1908 Harvard awarded him an A.B. degree as a member of the class of 1894. While at Harvard, Conger was introduced to
theosophy Theosophy is a religious movement established in the United States in the late 19th century. Founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and based largely on her writings, it draws heavily from both older European philosophies such as Neop ...
, and he became a member of the
Theosophical Society The Theosophical Society is the organizational body of Theosophy, an esoteric new religious movement. It was founded in New York City, U.S.A. in 1875. Among its founders were Helena Blavatsky, a Russian mystic and the principal thinker of the ...
on June 16, 1892.


Start of career

Prior to attending college, Conger had declined his father's request to join the senior Conger in the publishing business. After leaving college, Conger agreed to his parents' request that he attend the Episcopal Theological Seminary and consider becoming a member of the clergy. He attended for two years before informing his parents that his views had not changed, and he was committed to theosophy. After leaving the seminary, Conger moved to
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
to perform volunteer work at the Theosophy Society's general offices. He quickly made a favorable impression, and was soon working as leader
Katherine Tingley Katherine Augusta Westcott Tingley (July 6, 1847 – July 11, 1929) was a social worker and prominent Theosophy (Blavatskian), Theosophist. She led the Theosophical Society Pasadena, American Section of the Theosophical Society after W. Q. Judge ...
's secretary. When the society founded the International Brotherhood League in 1897 to perform nonsectarian social work among convicts and the urban poor, Conger was elected the league's secretary. In April 1898, Conger's family cut him off financially as a result of his continuing commitment to theosophy. To support himself, Conger enlisted in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
. Joining Company "M", 12th New York Infantry,
United States Volunteers United States Volunteers also known as U.S. Volunteers, U.S. Volunteer Army, or other variations of these, were military volunteers called upon during wartime to assist the United States Army but who were separate from both the Regular Army (United ...
as a
corporal Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corr ...
, Conger took part in the
Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...
and soon earned promotion to
sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...
. Later that year, Conger's application for a
regular army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a ...
commission was approved and he was appointed a second lieutenant in the 18th Infantry Regiment. In 1899, he was promoted to
first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...
in the 4th Infantry, and he was subsequently transferred back to the 18th Infantry. Conger took part in combat in
Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
and the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
during both the Spanish–American War and
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War, known alternatively as the Philippine Insurrection, Filipino–American War, or Tagalog Insurgency, emerged following the conclusion of the Spanish–American War in December 1898 when the United States annexed th ...
, and received a brevet promotion to
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
in 1900 to recognize his heroism during the
Panay Panay is the sixth-largest and fourth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of and a total population of 4,542,926, as of 2020 census. Panay comprises 4.4 percent of the entire population of the country. The City of Il ...
campaign. Conger was later accused in the November 1900 water cure torturing of two Filipino local officials. His superior officer, Edwin Forbes Glenn was convicted at court-martial, but Glenn's subordinates, including Conger, were not charged.


Military historian

From 1901 to 1903, Conger served in the Philippines as aide-de-camp to Major General Robert Patterson Hughes. In addition, he was part of the U.S. contingent that served in
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
during the American response to the
Boxer Rebellion The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, was an anti-foreign, anti-imperialist, and anti-Christian uprising in North China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty, by the Society of Righteous and Harmonious F ...
. In 1905, he was promoted to captain in the 29th Infantry and graduated from the Army's Infantry and Cavalry School. He was also a 1906 graduate of the
United States Army Command and General Staff College The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military ...
. After graduating from the staff college, Conger became a member of the faculty, and taught from 1907 to 1910 and 1913 to 1916. In the interregnum, Conger studied German military history at
Berlin University The Humboldt University of Berlin (, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin, Germany. The university was established by Frederick William III on the initiative of Wilhelm von Humboldt ...
and
Heidelberg University Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg (; ), is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386 on instruction of Pope Urban VI, Heidelberg is Germany's oldest unive ...
, where
Hans Delbrück Hans Gottlieb Leopold Delbrück (; 11 November 1848 – 14 July 1929) was a German historian. Delbrück was one of the first modern military historians, basing his method of research on the critical examination of ancient sources, using auxiliary ...
taught Conger his critical examination method. He then served with the 29th Infantry at
Fort Niagara Fort Niagara, also known as Old Fort Niagara, is a fortification originally built by New France to protect its interests in North America, specifically control of access between the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, the easternmost of the Great L ...
,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
. As an instructor, Conger required students to conduct independent research on military events including the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
's 1862
Peninsular campaign The Peninsula campaign (also known as the Peninsular campaign) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March to July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The oper ...
. Using original sources from the
Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...
post library, students researched topics of interest, then prepared and presented papers. Conger's innovations added depth to the curriculum, and provided students with lessons learned that they could apply in similar situations in the future. Conger was promoted to
major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...
in 1915 and later that year he conducted a seminar on military history at
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
. In 1916, he co-founded and became editor of a quarterly magazine, ''The Military Historian & Economist''. During the
Pancho Villa Expedition The Pancho Villa Expedition—now known officially in the United States as the Mexican Expedition, but originally referred to as the "Punitive Expedition, US Army"—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the para ...
, Conger served on the U.S.-Mexico border as a member of the 26th Infantry Regiment.


World War I

At the start of
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Conger was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel and assigned as assistant chief of staff for
Intelligence Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It can be described as t ...
(G-2) on the staff of the 2nd Division. Later assigned to the
Intelligence Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It can be described as t ...
directorate (G-2) on the staff of the
American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) was a formation of the United States Armed Forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I, composed mostly of units from the United States Army, U.S. Army. The AEF was establis ...
headquarters, Conger was the chief planner of a
military deception Military deception (MILDEC) is an attempt by a military unit to gain an advantage during warfare by misleading adversary decision makers into taking action or inaction that creates favorable conditions for the deceiving force. This is usually ...
effort that became known as the ''Belfort Ruse''. This deception, which attempted to convince German commander
Erich Ludendorff Erich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff (; 9 April 1865 – 20 December 1937) was a German general and politician. He achieved fame during World War I (1914–1918) for his central role in the German victories at Battle of Liège, Liège and Battle ...
that the American First Army would go on the offensive at
Belfort Belfort (; archaic , ) is a city in northeastern France, situated approximately from the Swiss border. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Territoire de Belfort. Belfort is from Paris and from Basel. The residents of the city ...
rather than at
Saint-Mihiel Saint-Mihiel () is a commune in the Meuse department in the Grand Est region in Northeastern France. Geography Saint-Mihiel lies on the banks of the river Meuse. History A Benedictine abbey was established here in 708 or 709 by Count Wulfoalde ...
in the fall of 1918, was intended to cause Ludendorff to allocate forces away from First Army's attack. Uncertain of which area was the real location of the planned offensive, Ludendorff held forces in reserve, positioned to move to either Saint-Mihiel or Belfort. As a result, First Army had numerical superiority and the advantage of surprise when it commenced the
Battle of Saint-Mihiel The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12 to 15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States again ...
, which produced an American victory and the capture or flight of Ludendorff's reserves. After promotion to temporary
colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
, Conger commanded the 56th Infantry Brigade. He led this command from the
Meuse–Argonne offensive The Meuse–Argonne offensive (also known as the Meuse River–Argonne Forest offensive, the Battles of the Meuse–Argonne, and the Meuse–Argonne campaign) was a major part of the final Allies of World War I, Allied Offensive (military), offe ...
until the end of the war.


Post-World War I

Following the war, Conger served on the Command and General Staff College faculty. He then attended the
United States Army War College The United States Army War College (USAWC) is a U.S. Army staff college in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, with a Carlisle postal address, on the 500-acre (2 km2) campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks. It provides graduate-level instru ...
, from which he graduated in 1920. He was promoted to permanent lieutenant colonel on July 1, 1920, and permanent colonel on April 27, 1921. From 1921 to 1923, he commanded the 20th Infantry Regiment at
Fort Sam Houston Fort Sam Houston is a United States Army, U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas. "Fort Sam Houston, TX • About Fort Sam Houston" (overview), US Army, 2007, webpageSH-Army. Known colloquially as "Fort Sam", it is named for the first president o ...
,
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
. In 1924, Conger was assigned as a U.S.
military attaché A military attaché or defence attaché (DA),Defence Attachés
''Geneva C ...
, and he served in
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
and
Bern Bern (), or Berne (), ; ; ; . is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city".; ; ; . According to the Swiss constitution, the Swiss Confederation intentionally has no "capital", but Bern has gov ...
,
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
. While serving in Berlin, Conger was permitted to attend a senior German military officers' course on the condition that he not reveal any details about the school or its curriculum. He retired from the military on October 31, 1928.


Later life

In the early 1920s, Conger began to rekindle his Theosophical Society activities. In 1932, he became president of the society's American Section. He resigned in 1933 because he was struggling with the effects of
Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...
, but resumed the post in 1939. In 1945, he was elected head of the Theosophical Society. He served until his death, and his leadership tenure was notable for the move of the society's headquarters from
Covina, California Covina ( /koviːnə/) is a city in the San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles The population was 51,268 according to the 2020 census, up from 47,796 at the 2010 census. ...
to nearby
Pasadena Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial d ...
. Conger died in Pasadena on February 22, 1951.


Family

On February 8, 1902, Conger married Margaret Loring Guild. Also active in the Theosophical Society, she was the compiler of the ''Combined Chronology'', a work intended as a companion to '' The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett'' and ''The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett''. Margaret Conger died in 1945, and in 1950 Conger married Martha Franklin (1878–1959).


Awards

Conger received the Silver
Citation Star The Citation Star was a Department of War personal valor decoration issued as a ribbon device which was first established by the United States Congress on July 9, 1918 (Bulletin No. 43, War Dept. 1918). When awarded, a silver star was placed o ...
to recognize his heroism during the
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War, known alternatively as the Philippine Insurrection, Filipino–American War, or Tagalog Insurgency, emerged following the conclusion of the Spanish–American War in December 1898 when the United States annexed th ...
, which was later converted to the
Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against a ...
. His World War I service was recognized with award of the
Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. ...
, French
Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...
(Officer) and
Croix de Guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...
, and British
Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III ...
(Companion).


Army Distinguished Service Medal citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Colonel (Infantry) Arthur L. Conger, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. As a member of the Second Section, General Staff, General Headquarters, Colonel Conger's marked professional attainments, his zeal, and his sound judgment contributed largely to the successful operations of his section. As Chief the Second Section, General Staff, of the 2d Division, during active operations, and later as Commander of a brigade of the 28th Division during the Argonne-Meuse offensive, he demonstrated his great energy and his clear conception of tactics. Service: Army Rank: Colonel Division: General Staff, 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 35 (1920)


Published works


As author

* ''The Function of Military History'' Mississippi Valley Historical Review, 1916. * ''President Lincoln As War Statesman''. State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1916. * ''The Military Education of Grant As General''. Menasha, 1921. * ''The Rise of U.S. Grant''. The Century Co., 1931. * "The Military Education of Grant as General." ''Wisconsin Magazine of History'' (1921): 239–262
online


As editor

* Judge, William Quan: ''Practical Occultism: From the Private Letters of William Q. Judge''. Theosophical University Press, Pasadena 1951 * Purucker, Gottfried de: ''The Dialogues of G. de Purucker: Report of Sessions''. Theosophical University Press, Covina 1948


References


Further reading

* Nenninger, Timothy K. ''The Leavenworth Schools and the Old Army: Education, Professionalism, and the Officer Corps of the United States Army, 1881–1918'' (Greenwood, 1978). * Reardon, Carol. ''Soldiers and Scholars: The US Army and the Uses of Military History, 1865–1920'' ( University Press of Kansas, 1990).

{{DEFAULTSORT:Conger, Arthur L. 1872 births 1951 deaths Military personnel from Akron, Ohio Writers from Akron, Ohio Military personnel from Pasadena, California Writers from Pasadena, California Harvard College alumni United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni United States Army Command and General Staff College faculty United States Army War College alumni United States military attachés United States Army colonels United States Army personnel of World War I American military personnel of the Spanish–American War American military personnel of the Philippine–American War American military personnel of the Boxer Rebellion American Theosophists American torturers American war criminals Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Silver Star Officers of the Legion of Honour American recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George 19th-century United States Army personnel