▁this ▁capacity , ▁Dra ke ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁captain ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁and ▁also ▁served ▁in ▁this ▁command ▁under ▁Admir al ▁William ▁H alse y ▁during ▁the ▁Sol omon ▁Islands ▁campaign . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁ordered ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁Army ▁Field ▁Art illery ▁School ▁at ▁Fort ▁S ill , ▁Oklahoma . ▁He ▁completed ▁the ▁course ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁and ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁major ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time . ▁Order ed ▁to ▁Camp ▁P end leton , ▁California , ▁he ▁was ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁newly ▁activ ated ▁ 1 4 th ▁Marine ▁Art illery ▁Regiment ▁as ▁executive ▁officer ▁of ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion . ▁His ▁regiment ▁was ▁subsequently ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁newly ▁created ▁ 4 th ▁Marine ▁Division ▁under ▁Major ▁General ▁Harry ▁Schmidt ▁as ▁its ▁main ▁art illery ▁component . ▁The ▁ 1 4 th ▁Mar ines ▁later ▁re located ▁to ▁Camp ▁Dun lap ▁for ▁further ▁training ▁and ▁Dra ke ▁received ▁word ▁of ▁its ▁up coming ▁combat ▁deployment ▁to ▁the ▁Pacific : ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands . ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁target ▁of ▁the ▁landing ▁for ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Marine ▁Division , ▁was ▁Ro i ▁Nam ur ▁at oll , ▁which ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁large ▁air ▁base ▁and ▁center ▁of ▁air ▁activity ▁in ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands . ▁With ▁the ▁se cur ing ▁of ▁that ▁at oll , ▁Al lied ▁forces ▁would ▁have ▁a ▁new ▁base ▁for ▁future