Major General (MS ANG Ret'd) Delos Hudson Burks (1917-2008) was born in Picayune, Mississippi on March 5, 1917 to William Harvey and Alice Burks. After graduating from Industrial High School in 1934, General Burks taught school at the High school for several years before enrolling as an Aviation Cadet in September 1941. He got his Navigator's rating, graduated and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on 23 May 1942. He then married his High School sweetheart, Melva Rester (May 25, 1942) and was assigned to the 44th Bomb Group, (H), at Barksdale Field, Mississippi, where he was Navigator on the Consolodated B-24 "Liberator" performing anti-submarine patrols both during the day and night in the Gulf of Mexico. From August to September 1942 General Burks was flew in the B-26 "Marauder" and taught ground school for Bombardier's teaching the new Second Lieutenants navigation and giving airborne checkrides. In October 1943 to January 1945 he was the Assistant Air Base Education & Training Officer and was promoted from First Lieutenant to Captain. In April 1945 General Burks was reassigned to the Second Emergency Rescue Squadron in Morotai (Philippine Theater) as Navigator on the Canadian Vickers produced OA-10A "Catalina".

After the war was over, Captain Burks was promoted to Major and reassigned to Mather Field, California as Squadron Adjutant. He left active duty on 29 November 1945 and went back to the University of Southern Mississippi to pursue his undergraduate degree. General Burks was admitted to the bar, 1954, Mississippi. Education: University of Southern Mississippi, Hattisburg, (B.S. 1948); Jackson School of Law (LL.B.,1954). Member: Mississippi Legislature, 1952-1960; State Building Commission, 1956-1960 and 1980-1984. Assistant Attorney General, 1960-1969 and The Deputy Attorney General, 1969-1972. Member, Mississippi Ethics Commission, 1987-1991. Member: Pearl River County and Amercian Bar Associations; The Mississippi Bar. Major General, Mississippi Army National Guard, Retired.

[See Delos' Personnel Records]

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