To Middleton, as a very junior lieutenant colonel, the prospect of becoming a general officer seemed very remote, and upon giving the matter more thought he ultimately decided to retire from the army. Once his decision was made, he wired President Smith at LSU advising him that he was ready to become a civilian and accept the university post. The Middletons left the Philippines in May 1937, making a long leisurely trip back to the United States. They stopped in Hong Kong, Japan, and China en route to San Francisco. Lieutenant Colonel Middleton officially retired from the army on 31 October 1937, though he began his service at LSU two and a half months earlier.