▁the ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁newly ▁activ ated ▁I ▁Marine ▁Am ph ib ious ▁Corps ▁as ▁corps ▁personnel ▁and ▁intelligence ▁officer . ▁The ▁I ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁was ▁based ▁first ▁at ▁New ▁C aled onia ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Major ▁General ▁Clay ton ▁Bar ney ▁Vog el ▁and ▁later ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁Gu adal can al ▁Camp aign . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁Sel den ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Marine ▁Division , ▁station ed ▁for ▁rest ▁and ▁ref it ▁in ▁Melbourne , ▁Australia , ▁under ▁Major ▁General ▁Alexander ▁V ande gr ift . ▁He ▁remained ▁in ▁that ▁capacity ▁until ▁ 2 9 ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁when ▁he ▁rel ieved ▁Colonel ▁Mer ritt ▁A . ▁Ed son ▁as ▁command ing ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁Marine ▁Regiment . ▁Sel den ▁commanded ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁Mar ines ▁during ▁Battle ▁of ▁Cape ▁Gl ouc ester ▁and ▁for ▁his ▁leadership ▁during ▁the ▁battle , ▁he ▁was ▁decor ated ▁with ▁the ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Mer it ▁with ▁Com bat ▁" V ". ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁awarded ▁the ▁Bron ze ▁Star ▁Medal ▁with ▁Com bat ▁" V " ▁during ▁this ▁campaign . ▁ ▁Colonel ▁Sel den ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁Colonel ▁Oliver ▁P . ▁Smith ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁and ▁subsequently ▁was ▁appointed ▁Chief ▁of ▁staff ▁of ▁ 1 st ▁Marine ▁Division ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Major ▁General ▁William ▁H . ▁Ru pert us . ▁In ▁this ▁capacity