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WILLIAM P. BURKE## MILITARY SERVICE.APPENDIX "Б"(Sec. 16. in Form 2205; Sec. 17 in USSSC Std. Form 57)In the spring of 1942 the war came pretty close to New Orleans. There were sub-marines in the Gulf, tankers were being torpedoed as they left the river, and the hospital's were filled with horribly burned seamen. I was anxious to do what I could, but I felt that at my age there was little hope of taking an active part. I became an Air Raid warden, and helped sell some war Bonds, and I thought that was about all I would be able to do.Then the Marine Corps came out with an announcement that commissions were open in Aviation Intelligence to men up to 45 years of age.I saw the Recruiting Officer, and he recommended me for such a commission. Nothing happened for some time, so when I was next in Washington on business I went to Marine Corps Headquarters and looked p upColonel Belford, whom I had known in New Orleans.He ascertained that Aviation Intelligence was filled up, but stated that he would be glad to have me in the Recruiting Division, and that I might transfer to Aviation Intelligence later on. I was delighted to get into the Marine Corps, and accepted a commission as Captain on 8 September 1942.After an indoctrination course at Quantico, Va., I was ordered to San Antonio, Tex., as assistant recruiting officer. I remained there for three months, devoting most of my time to the Student Officer procurement program in the various Texas colleges.In December, 1942, the Marine Corps, which had, prior to that time, been an exclusively volunteer organization, was placed under the Selective Service System, and Marine Corps Headquarters decided to follow the lead of the Navy and appoint a Marine officer as liaison to each state Selective Service Headquarters. I was one of those appointed, and was ordered to Raleigh, N.C. on 12 January 1943.The post at Raleigh was one of some importance because of the large Marine Corps bases at New River, Cherry Point and Edenton, at which over one hundred thousand Marines were in training and at which construction and maintenance programs involving several hundred millions of dollars were in operation. It was my duty to supervise the induction of all North Carolina selectees who were assigned to the Marine Corps through the Selective Service System, and to represent the various Marine Corps installations in their dealings and disputes with local draft boards concerning the deferment of about five thousand civilian employees.In addition, I took an active part in the administration of the Selective Service Headquarters in Raleigh and throughout the state, interviewing registrants, their employers and dependents, advising local area appeal boards, setting up replacement schedules for various industries and passing on the merits of about eleven thousand appeals.The work was interesting and productive, and living in Raleigh was certainly "good duty", but I had never lost my desire for overseas duty and made two attempts to transfer to Aviation, both of which were unsuccessful. Then, in September 1944 I heard that Marine Divisions overseas were badly in need of Legal Officers, and I immediately applied for transfer. I was ordered to headquarters for indoctrination, and, after a tour of duty in the office of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy, I was sent to Camp Lejeune in February 1945 for further training. In April 1945 I sailed from San Francisco, and in May I joined the Fourth Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, at Maui, as Division legal officer. I continued in that post until the war ended and I procured a transfer to the inactive list.A Marine Division consists of approximately 18,000 NC men. The Division Legal Officer is directly responsible to the Commanding General for the administration of Military Justice throughout the command, and supervises the work and findings of all General, Summary and Deck Courts, as well as those of all Boards of Investigation and Courts of Inquiry. To advise the Commanding General on the action to be taken as Convening Authority or Immediate Superior in Command. In addition he advises the Commanding General and Chief of Staff on all legal matters arising out of contact with natives, with civilian and military authorities and with the owners of training areas