▁United ▁States ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁major ▁general . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁art illery ▁officer ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁and ▁later ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁War ▁as ▁deput y ▁commander ▁of ▁XX IV ▁Corps . ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁and ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ ▁Cl iff ord ▁B . ▁Dra ke ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁November ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁but ▁his ▁family ▁moved ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁California , ▁where ▁he ▁attended ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁and ▁then ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁California ▁( U CLA ), ▁ear ning ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁degree ▁in ▁Physics ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁While ▁at ▁U CLA , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁a ▁Reserve ▁Offic ers ' ▁Training ▁Corps ▁unit ▁and ▁was ▁commission ed ▁a ▁second ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁Coast ▁Art illery ▁Reserve ▁Corps . ▁ ▁Dra ke ▁res igned ▁his ▁reserve ▁rank ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁accept ▁an ▁appointment ▁as ▁second ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁Officer ▁C andid ates ▁School ▁at ▁Quant ico , ▁Virginia , ▁for ▁further ▁officer ▁education . ▁After ▁a ▁three - month s ▁course ▁there , ▁he ▁was ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁Marine ▁det achment ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁batt les hip ▁USS ▁California . ▁ ▁While ▁serving ▁on ▁the ▁California , ▁Dra ke ▁was ▁present ▁at ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁on ▁December