Korean War Joseph Charles Burger (May 11, 1902 – February 1, 1982) was a decorated United States Marine Corps officer and college athlete.

[2] Following his graduation with a Bachelor of Arts degree in June 1925, Burger resigned his reserve commission in order to accept appointment as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on July 15.

[6] 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.

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.

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Burger was appointed assistant chief of staff for personnel and later promoted to lieutenant colonel in August 1942.

Colonel Burger finally left Washington, D.C., in July 1946 and subsequently was transferred to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, where he assumed command of the Marine barracks within the local naval base.

When the Korean War broke out, Colonel Burger was transferred to Pearl Harbor and appointed Chief of Staff of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific under General Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr. in July 1950.

One month later, he was transferred to Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California, where he was appointed deputy commander and chief of staff under Major General Oliver P. Smith.

Burger remained in Washington until January 1956, when he relieved his old superior, Edwin A. Pollock, as commanding general of Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island in Port Royal, South Carolina.

[1] 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.

[2] A complete list of the general's medals and decorations include:[8] This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.