Joseph C. Burger

Joseph Charles Burger (May 11, 1902 – February 1, 1982) was a decorated United States Marine Corps officer and college athlete. He rose to the rank of lieutenant general and concluded his career as commanding general of the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic. Burger was also commanding general of Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island during the Ribbon Creek incident in April 1956.

According to author Keith Fleming in The U.S. Marine Corps in Crisis: Ribbon Creek and Recruit Training, Burger "enjoyed an excellent professional reputation from the very beginning of his Marine Corps service". in lacrosse in 1924 and 1925, and basketball in 1924–25. During his college years, Burger also held a United States Army Reserve commission.

During the summer of 1927, Burger left Quantico for expeditionary duty in Shanghai and Tianjin, China and after brief service in the Philippine Islands, he returned to the United States. Burger served on the various stations and also with the Marine detachments aboard the battleships USS Utah and USS Arizona and was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant in March 1931.

First Lieutenant Burger returned to Quantico in July 1931, when he was assigned back to Quantico Marines football team. He served as assistant coach under Captain George W. McHenry for the 1931 and 1932 seasons. Burger then remained on Quantico until the end of March 1935, when he was attached to the 4th Marine Regiment under Colonel John C. Beaumont and sailed again to China. He served as company commander in the security force of the Shanghai International Settlement and later of the guard detachment at the American embassy in Beijing. While in China, he was promoted to captain in August 1936 and during the next year, his company under his command won the Breckinridge Trophy for the best Marine unit deployed to that country.

He later participated in the fighting on the western front and later in the defense of the Demilitarized Zone under the command of new 1st Marine Division commander, Major General Randolph M. Pate, and also took part in another prisoner exchange, Operation Big Switch, in August 1953. For his service in Korea, Burger received the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. He was the commander of that facility during the infamous Ribbon Creek incident the following month, in which a junior drill instructor conducted a forced march that resulted in the drowning deaths of six Marine recruits.

After the incident, Burger was transferred out of the command "without prejudice" and Commandant of the Marine Corps and Burger's superior from Korea, Randolph M. Pate, transferred him to Camp Lejeune, where he assumed command of the 2nd Marine Division.

He attained the rank of lieutenant general on November 1, 1959, and ended his career as commanding general, Fleet Marine Force Atlantic. Burger retired from the Marine Corps on November 1, 1961.

He died on February 1, 1982, at the age of 79. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

Burger was inducted in the inaugural class of the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982.

Decorations A complete list of the general's medals and decorations include: