 In the opening paragraph of Currahee!, he stated that his older brother Elmer had joined the Paratroops in 1942, and that he, Donald, was determined to follow his older brother.Burgett volunteered to be called up as soon as he turned 18 the following year.On May 3, 1943 he reported to the Induction Center where he officially volunteered for the Paratroops, signing the statement "I do hereby volunteer to jump from a plane, while in flight and land on the ground via parachute."