ed ▁at ▁the ▁Marine ▁bar ra cks ▁within ▁the ▁Nor folk ▁Navy ▁Y ard , ▁before ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Marine ▁Brigade ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁Holland ▁Smith ▁as ▁brig ade ▁personnel ▁officer . ▁He ▁participated ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Brigade ▁in ▁extended ▁am ph ib ious ▁training ▁in ▁Gu ant an amo ▁Bay , ▁Cuba . ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Brigade ▁was ▁expanded ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Marine ▁Division ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁and ▁Sel den ▁was ▁appointed ▁division ▁personnel ▁officer . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ ▁Sel den ▁was ▁station ed ▁on ▁Hawai i ▁with ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Sc out ing ▁Force ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁Japanese ▁attack ▁at ▁Pear l ▁Har bor . ▁He ▁subsequently ▁served ▁as ▁Marine ▁force ▁and ▁intelligence ▁officer ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁heavy ▁cru iser ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁aircraft ▁car rier ▁. ▁In ▁this ▁capacity , ▁Sel den ▁participated ▁in ▁combat ▁off ▁the ▁coast s ▁of ▁New ▁Guinea ▁and ▁New ▁Britain ▁and ▁was ▁later ▁decor ated ▁for ▁his ▁service ▁with ▁the ▁Navy ▁Comm end ation ▁Medal ▁with ▁Com bat ▁" V ". ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁Marine ▁officer ▁on ▁the ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁Am ph ib ious ▁Force , ▁Pacific ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁and ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁colon el ▁in ▁July ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁year . ▁Sel den ▁served ▁in ▁this ▁capacity ▁until ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁transferred ▁to