▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 8 9 3 , ▁in ▁Az le , ▁Texas . ▁He ▁attended ▁the ▁Texas ▁A & M ▁University ▁and ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁with ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Science ▁degree ▁in ▁civil ▁engineering . ▁Young ▁Walker ▁was ▁eager ▁to ▁see ▁combat ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁he ▁almost ▁immediately ▁entered ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁and ▁was ▁commission ed ▁second ▁lieutenant ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁Upon ▁the ▁comple ting ▁of ▁the ▁Officer ' s ▁Basic ▁training , ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁as ▁pl ato on ▁leader ▁to ▁the ▁ 5 1 st ▁Company , ▁ 2 nd ▁Battalion , ▁ 5 th ▁Marine ▁Regiment ▁in ▁Philadelphia . ▁ ▁The ▁ 5 th ▁Mar ines ▁were ▁sent ▁over se as ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁Saint - N az aire ▁the ▁following ▁month . ▁Walker ▁spent ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁months ▁with ▁int ensive ▁training ▁for ▁tren ch ▁war fare ▁including ▁gr en ade ▁throwing , ▁bay on et ▁dr ill , ▁gas ▁mask ▁dr ill ▁and ▁weapons ▁firing ▁at ▁land ▁targets ▁and ▁air plan es ▁etc . ▁His ▁unit ▁subsequently ▁went ▁to ▁the ▁tren ches ▁in ▁the ▁Mont g erm ont ▁sector ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁and ▁Walker ▁participated ▁in ▁its ▁defense . ▁ ▁However ▁he ▁was ▁ordered ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁and ▁was ▁appointed ▁an ▁instruct or ▁at ▁Bay on et